Shloka 16

Devanagari script

संभक्षयित्वा सकलं जगत्य् एकार्णवीकृते शेषे त्वम् एव गोविन्द चिन्त्यमानो मनीषिभिः

Transliteration

saṃbhakṣayitvā sakalaṃ jagaty ekārṇavīkṛte śeṣe tvam eva govinda cintyamāno manīṣibhiḥ

Translation

Having withdrawn and consumed the entire universe, when all becomes a single ocean, then You alone—Govinda—remain as the Remainder, contemplated by the wise as the one Supreme Reality.

Word by Word

• संभक्षयित्वा: having consumed
• संभक्षयित्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त), पूर्वकाल; Absolutive/gerund: 'having devoured'

• सकलम्: entire
• सकलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; Accusative singular (agreeing with जगत्)

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• एकार्णवीकृते: when (it is) made into a single ocean
• एकार्णवीकृते: Adhikarana (State/Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक + अर्णव + कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (एक-अर्णवी-कृत: 'made into one ocean'), भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; Locative singular qualifying (जगति understood)

• शेषे: on Śeṣa
• शेषे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; Locative singular

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद्/त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• एव: indeed, alone
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारणार्थक); emphatic particle

• गोविन्द: O Govinda
• गोविन्द: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; Vocative singular

• चिन्त्यमानः: being meditated upon
• चिन्त्यमानः: Karma (Patient/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु) → चिन्त्यमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकर्मणि कृदन्त (शानच्/मान), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Present passive participle: 'being contemplated'

• मनीषिभिः: by sages, by the wise
• मनीषिभिः: Karana (Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनीषिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya in the cosmology/pralaya discourse)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: State of the Lord at dissolution when the universe becomes a single ocean and only the remainder exists

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Kalpa

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: At cosmic dissolution, when the universe is withdrawn into a single ocean, Govinda alone remains as the ultimate reality contemplated by the wise.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Practice detachment by remembering the impermanence of all compounded worlds, and anchor contemplation in the enduring Supreme.

Vishishtadvaita: The world’s dependence is affirmed without denying its reality: it is withdrawn by the Lord and re-emerges by His will, while He alone is absolutely independent (svatantra).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Govinda

FAQs

What is the significance of pralaya (cosmic dissolution) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse teaches that when the cosmos is withdrawn into a single primordial ocean, Vishnu alone remains as the ultimate ground, showing that dissolution does not negate the Supreme—only the manifest universe.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the idea of the “remainder” (śeṣa) after dissolution?

Parāśara presents pralaya as a reabsorption of all names and forms; what remains is not emptiness but Vishnu himself, the enduring reality whom sages contemplate.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu (Govinda) in this context?

Govinda is affirmed as the Supreme Reality beyond cyclical creation and destruction—both the source and the final abiding presence—central to Vaishnava philosophy in the Purana.