Shloka 18

रुद्रसर्गः (नीललोहितः), अष्टनाम-स्थान-परिवारः, श्री-नारायणयोः अभेदव्याप्तिः

Devanagari script

स्रष्टा विष्णुर् इयं सृष्टिः श्रीर् भूमिर् भूधरो हरिः संतोषो भगवांल् लक्ष्मीस् तुष्टिर् मैत्रेय शाश्वती

Transliteration

sraṣṭā viṣṇur iyaṃ sṛṣṭiḥ śrīr bhūmir bhūdharo hariḥ saṃtoṣo bhagavāṃl lakṣmīs tuṣṭir maitreya śāśvatī

Translation

Viṣṇu is the Creator; this manifested universe is His very creation. He is Śrī, He is the Earth; Hari is the Bearer of the Earth. He is contentment itself; and Lakṣmī—O Maitreya—is His everlasting satisfaction and abiding plenitude.

Word by Word

• sraṣṭā: creator
• sraṣṭā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √sṛj (धातु) + -tṛ (कृत्)
• Form: कर्तृवाचक-तृन्-प्रत्ययान्त (agent noun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• viṣṇuḥ: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇuḥ: Predicate nominal (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• iyam: this (she)
• iyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• sṛṣṭiḥ: creation
• sṛṣṭiḥ: Predicate nominal (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• śrīḥ: Śrī
• śrīḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• bhūmiḥ: earth
• bhūmiḥ: Predicate nominal (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• bhū-dharaḥ: earth-bearer (supporter)
• bhū-dharaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (bhūṃ dharati iti)

• hariḥ: Hari
• hariḥ: Predicate nominal (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• saṃtoṣaḥ: contentment
• saṃtoṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃtoṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• bhagavān: Predicate nominal (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• lakṣmīḥ: Lakṣmī
• lakṣmīḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tuṣṭiḥ: satisfaction
• tuṣṭiḥ: Predicate nominal (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tuṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• maitreya: O Maitreya
• maitreya: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maitreya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• śāśvatī: everlasting
• śāśvatī: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śāśvata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; tuṣṭiḥ इति विशेषण

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Elaboration of Viṣṇu’s all-pervading identity and Śrī’s inseparable role as his abiding satisfaction.

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda (universe)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Viṣṇu is both creator and the manifested creation; he is also Śrī and Bhūmi, and Lakṣmī is his eternal tuṣṭi—abiding fullness—showing the Lord as immanent cause and sustaining presence.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: See prosperity, stability, and inner contentment as gifts grounded in the divine; practice gratitude and restraint so ‘saṃtoṣa’ becomes a form of worship.

Vishishtadvaita: Strong jagat-kāraṇatva: the world is real as the Lord’s body (śarīra), with Lakṣmī as inseparable śakti—transcendent Lord yet fully immanent in creation.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Lakshmi Presence: Sri (fortune)

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Lakshmi (Shri)
• Bhumi (Earth)

FAQs

What is the significance of identifying Vishnu with creation in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse teaches Vishnu’s immanence: He is not only the maker of the cosmos but also present as its very substance and sustaining order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Lakṣmī’s role here?

Parāśara presents Lakṣmī (Śrī) as eternally associated with the Lord—His abiding fulfillment (tuṣṭi), not a temporary or separate power.

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

Vishnu is affirmed as the Supreme Reality who creates, pervades, and supports all—while remaining the blessed sovereign (Bhagavān) with Śrī.