Shloka 20

Devanagari script

श्रद्धा लक्ष्मीर् धृतिस् तुष्टिर् पुष्टिर् मेधा क्रिया तथा बुद्धिर् लज्जा वपुः शान्तिः सिद्धिः कीर्तिस् त्रयोदशी

Transliteration

śraddhā lakṣmīr dhṛtis tuṣṭir puṣṭir medhā kriyā tathā buddhir lajjā vapuḥ śāntiḥ siddhiḥ kīrtis trayodaśī

Translation

Śraddhā (Faith), Lakṣmī (Prosperity), Dhṛti (Steadfastness), Tuṣṭi (Contentment), Puṣṭi (Nourishment), Medhā (Intelligence), Kriyā (Right Action), Buddhi (Discernment), Lajjā (Modesty), Vapu (Comeliness), Śānti (Peace), Siddhi (Accomplishment), and Kīrti (Renown)—these are proclaimed as the thirteen divine powers.

Word by Word

• श्रद्धा: Faith
• श्रद्धा: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• लक्ष्मीः: Fortune/Prosperity
• लक्ष्मीः: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• धृतिः: Steadfastness
• धृतिः: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तुष्टिः: Contentment
• तुष्टिः: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पुष्टिः: Nourishment
• पुष्टिः: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मेधा: Intelligence
• मेधा: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• क्रिया: Action/rite
• क्रिया: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तथा: and also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conj./adverb), समुच्चयार्थ

• बुद्धिः: Understanding
• बुद्धिः: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• लज्जा: Modesty
• लज्जा: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लज्जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वपुः: Body/form
• वपुः: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शान्तिः: Peace
• शान्तिः: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सिद्धिः: Success/attainment
• सिद्धिः: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कीर्तिः: Fame
• कीर्तिः: Karta (Item in list/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• त्रयोदशी: the thirteenth
• त्रयोदशी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रयोदशी (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (एताः) त्रयोदशी = ‘thirteenth (one)’/समाप्तिसूचक

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Names and nature of Dakṣa’s daughters as personified powers supporting the world-order

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The listed goddesses signify inner faculties—faith, steadiness, contentment, intelligence, modesty, peace—through which dharma becomes embodied in life.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Use the list as a sādhana-checklist: cultivate śraddhā, dhṛti, śānti, and kriyā through daily vows, study, and mindful conduct.

Vishishtadvaita: Śrī (Lakṣmī) and divine qualities are real śaktis within the Lord’s auspicious nature, supporting a world that is meaningful and value-laden.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Lakshmi

FAQs

What is the significance of the thirteen qualities (trayodaśī) in the Vishnu Purana?

They present a compact theology of auspicious powers—virtues like faith, peace, and accomplishment—through which divine order is sustained and recognized in the world.

How does Sage Parāśara explain these qualities in the dialogue with Maitreya?

Parāśara lists them as named powers/attributes, framing them as divine endowments associated with Bhagavān’s auspiciousness and Lakṣmī’s benefic presence.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu here?

Vishnu is implied as the supreme ground of auspiciousness: the virtues that uphold cosmos and dharma are not merely human traits but reflections of the Lord’s sovereign, sustaining reality.