Shloka 35

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

Devanagari script

पदक्रमाक्रान्तम् अनन्तम् आदि स्थितं त्वम् एवाक्षर विश्वमूर्ते विश्वस्य विद्मः परमेश्वरो ऽसि प्रसीद नाथो ऽसि चराचरस्य

Transliteration

padakramākrāntam anantam ādi sthitaṃ tvam evākṣara viśvamūrte viśvasya vidmaḥ parameśvaro 'si prasīda nātho 'si carācarasya

Translation

You alone are that Imperishable One—endless, primeval, and abiding—who pervades all by measured stride, O you whose very form is the universe. We know you as the Supreme Lord of all creation. Be gracious: you are the master and refuge of everything moving and unmoving.

Word by Word

• पद-क्रम-आक्रान्तम्: traversed by (your) measured steps
• पद-क्रम-आक्रान्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक) + आ + क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Past passive participle, Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular); तत्पुरुष (पदक्रमेण आक्रान्तम्)

• अनन्तम्: endless
• अनन्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular); विशेषणम्

• आदि: primeval
• आदि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular); विशेषणम्

• स्थितम्: standing, established
• स्थितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (PPP, Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle of emphasis)

• अक्षर: O imperishable one
• अक्षर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (Neuter, Vocative, Singular)

• विश्व-मूर्ते: O one whose form is the universe
• विश्व-मूर्ते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (Masculine, Vocative, Singular); तत्पुरुष (विश्वस्य मूर्तिः)

• विश्वस्य: of the universe
• विश्वस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (Neuter, Genitive, Singular)

• विद्मः: we know
• विद्मः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन (Present Indicative, 1st person, Plural)

• परम-ईश्वरः: the supreme lord
• परम-ईश्वरः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); कर्मधारय (परमः ईश्वरः)

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन (Present Indicative, 2nd person, Singular)

• प्रसीद: be gracious
• प्रसीद: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + सद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन (Imperative, 2nd person, Singular)

• नाथः: lord
• नाथः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन (Present Indicative, 2nd person, Singular)

• चर-अचरस्य: of the moving and unmoving (beings)
• चर-अचरस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Possessed/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर (प्रातिपदिक) + अचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (Neuter, Genitive, Singular); द्वन्द्व (चराचर)

Speaker

A devotee(s) offering a stuti (hymn) to Lord Vishnu within Parasara’s narration to Maitreya

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Supremacy of the Imperishable Lord as master of all moving and unmoving, pervading the cosmos.

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Imperishable Supreme pervades the universe and is the sovereign refuge of all beings, moving and unmoving.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Cultivate steady remembrance of the Lord’s all-pervasion to reduce fear and possessiveness, grounding life in the ‘imperishable’ center.

Vishishtadvaita: The universe is His ‘body’ (viśvamūrti) while He remains the akṣara Lord—supporting qualified non-dualism (world as real mode of Brahman).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Akshara (Imperishable Reality)
• The Universe (Vishva)
• Moving and non-moving beings (Chara-Achara)

FAQs

What is the significance of calling Vishnu 'Akshara' in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse identifies Vishnu as the imperishable ground of reality—unchanging and eternal—while still being the sovereign of the manifest universe.

How does Sage Parasara explain Vishnu’s relationship to the universe here?

Through a hymn embedded in the narration, Vishnu is presented as viśvamūrti—both pervading the cosmos and ruling it—so the world depends on him while he remains the supreme, undecaying principle.

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

Vishnu is affirmed as Parameśvara, the ultimate refuge and lord of all beings (moving and unmoving), underscoring devotional dependence on his grace and his absolute sovereignty.