Shloka 23

वाराहावतारः (भूम्युद्धारः) — Varāha, the Raising of the Earth and the Recommencement of Creation

Devanagari script

सूर्यादयो ग्रहास् तारा नक्षत्राण्य् अखिलानि च मूर्तामूर्तम् अदृश्यं च दृश्यं च पुरुषोत्तम

Transliteration

sūryādayo grahās tārā nakṣatrāṇy akhilāni ca mūrtāmūrtam adṛśyaṃ ca dṛśyaṃ ca puruṣottama

Translation

O Puruṣottama, the Sun and the other planets, the stars and all the constellations—formed and formless, seen and unseen—are truly encompassed in You and established in You.

Word by Word

• सूर्यादयः: the Sun and others
• सूर्यादयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (आदि-शब्देन सह: ‘सूर्यः आदिः येषां ते’)

• ग्रहाः: planets
• ग्रहाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• ताराः: stars
• ताराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• नक्षत्राणि: constellations
• नक्षत्राणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• अखिलानि: all, entire
• अखिलानि: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (नक्षत्राणि इत्यस्य)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• मूर्तामूर्तम्: manifest and unmanifest
• मूर्तामूर्तम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूर्त (प्रातिपदिक) + अमूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd; context-dependent), एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (‘मूर्तं च अमूर्तं च’)

• अदृश्यम्: invisible
• अदृश्यम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अदृश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd; context-dependent), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• दृश्यम्: visible
• दृश्यम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd; context-dependent), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• पुरुषोत्तम: O Supreme Person
• पुरुषोत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (‘पुरुषेषु उत्तमः’)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Vishnu’s all-pervasiveness as the ground of all cosmic phenomena (visible/invisible; formed/formless), including the luminaries.

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: All celestial bodies and all categories of existence—manifest and unmanifest—subsist in the Supreme Person as their support and inner ruler.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Contemplate the cosmos as resting in the Lord; cultivate steadiness and devotion by seeing every phenomenon as dependent on Him.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms the Lord as both transcendent Puruṣottama and immanent support/antaryāmin of all entities (cit and acit).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Surya (Sun)
• Grahas (planets)
• Tārās (stars)
• Nakṣatras (lunar mansions)

FAQs

What is the significance of grahas, stars, and nakṣatras in the Vishnu Purana?

They are presented as parts of the ordered cosmos whose existence and function ultimately rest in the Supreme—showing that astral mechanics are subordinate to Vishnu’s sovereignty.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the manifest and unmanifest (mūrta-amūrta)?

By grouping all reality into what can be perceived and what transcends perception, he frames Vishnu as the foundation of both categories—immanent in the world yet beyond it.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is affirmed as Puruṣottama, the Supreme Person who contains and surpasses the entire cosmos—visible and invisible—supporting a Vaishnava view of Para Brahman with personal supremacy.