Shloka 13

Devanagari script

सौम्यासौम्यैस् तथा शान्त(अ)शान्तैः स्त्रीत्वं च स प्रभुः बिभेद बहुधा देवः स्वरूपैर् असितैः सितैः

Transliteration

saumyāsaumyais tathā śānta(a)śāntaiḥ strītvaṃ ca sa prabhuḥ bibheda bahudhā devaḥ svarūpair asitaiḥ sitaiḥ

Translation

That Sovereign Lord, the Divine One, according to His own supreme nature, diversified existence into the gentle and the fierce, the tranquil and the untranquil, even into womanhood, manifesting Himself in forms dark and bright.

Word by Word

• सौम्य: with gentle (forms)
• सौम्य: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• असौम्यैः: with non-gentle/harsh (forms)
• असौम्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-सौम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), बहुवचनम्; नञ्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषणम्

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चय/उपमानार्थक क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb: likewise)

• शान्तैः: with peaceful (forms)
• शान्तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक; √शम् धातुज कृदन्त-विशेषण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• अशान्तैः: with unpeaceful/restless (forms)
• अशान्तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-शान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), बहुवचनम्; नञ्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषणम्

• स्त्रीत्वम्: womanhood
• स्त्रीत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्रीत्व (प्रातिपदिक; भाववाचक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (कर्म), एकवचनम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक निपातः (conjunction)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (कर्ता), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• प्रभुः: the Lord
• प्रभुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (कर्ता), एकवचनम्

• बिभेद: divided
• बिभेद: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भिद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• बहुधा: in many ways
• बहुधा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb: in many ways)

• देवः: the god (the Deity)
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (कर्ता), एकवचनम्; प्रभोः विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

• स्वरूपैः: with (his) own forms
• स्वरूपैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-रूप (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + रूप)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), बहुवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य रूपम्)

• असितैः: with dark/black (forms)
• असितैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• सितैः: with white/bright (forms)
• सितैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How the Lord diversified beings and qualities in creation

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The one Sovereign Lord manifests multiplicity—gentle and fierce, calm and agitated, dark and bright—without losing His unity.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Contemplate apparent opposites in life as governed within a single divine order, cultivating equanimity and reverence for the One behind diversity.

Vishishtadvaita: Unity does not erase real plurality of modes (cit/acit); the Lord remains the inner ground of diverse attributes and forms.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of gentle and fierce (saumya/asaumya) forms in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents temperament and disposition as part of the Lord’s willed differentiation of beings, showing that diversity in nature arises within His sovereign cosmic order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Lord’s role in creation here?

Parāśara frames creation as a divine diversification: the same Supreme Lord manifests many contrasting modes—peaceful/restless, bright/dark—without losing His supremacy.

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

Vishnu is portrayed as the ultimate governor of manifestation: all categories and contrasts in the world are grounded in His forms and intention, reinforcing His status as the Supreme Reality.