Shloka 22

Devanagari script

शंकरो भगवाञ् छौरिर् गौरी लक्ष्मीर् द्विजोत्तम मैत्रेय केशवः सूर्यस् तत्प्रभा कमलालया

Transliteration

śaṃkaro bhagavāñ chaurir gaurī lakṣmīr dvijottama maitreya keśavaḥ sūryas tatprabhā kamalālayā

Translation

O best of twice-born, Maitreya: Śaṅkara is that very Bhagavān Hari; Gaurī is Lakṣmī. Keśava is the Sun, and the radiance that streams from him is Kamalālayā—Kamalā, the Lotus-dwelling Goddess.

Word by Word

• शंकरः: Śaṅkara
• शंकरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• छौरिः: Chauri (an epithet)
• छौरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छौरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (हरि-वाचक उपनाम)

• गौरी: Gaurī
• गौरी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• द्विजोत्तम: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजोत्तम: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (द्विजः उत्तमः = best of the twice-born)

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

• केशवः: Keśava (Vishnu)
• केशवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सूर्यः: Sun
• सूर्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्प्रभा: his radiance
• तत्प्रभा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् + प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तस्य प्रभा = his/that radiance)

• कमलालया: abode of Kamalā
• कमलालया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कमला + आलया (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Non-sectarian identifications: Hari as Śaṅkara; Lakṣmī as Gaurī; Keśava as the Sun and Kamalā as his radiance

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Purāṇa presents a unitive vision where diverse divine names and cosmic functions are grounded in Hari and Śrī, as sun and radiance, deity and power.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Cultivate reverence across traditions by seeing diverse deities and cosmic forces as dependent manifestations of the Supreme.

Vishishtadvaita: Shows unity-in-diversity: multiple devatā-forms and śaktis are real yet subsist in the one Lord as their inner self.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Vishnu (Hari/Keśava)
• Shiva (Śaṅkara)
• Lakshmi (Śrī/Kamalā)
• Parvati (Gaurī)
• Surya (Sun)

FAQs

What is the significance of identifying Śaṅkara with Hari in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents a unifying theology: Śiva is not independent of the Supreme, but is understood as an aspect or function resting in Hari/Viṣṇu, reinforcing Viṣṇu’s ultimate sovereignty.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the relationship between Lakṣmī and cosmic radiance here?

Parāśara links divine splendour (prabhā) to Śrī/Lakṣmī, indicating that the Lord’s manifest brilliance and prosperity-power are inseparable from him, like radiance from the sun.

What is the theological importance of calling Keśava the Sun (Sūrya) in this context?

By equating Keśava with Sūrya, the text frames Viṣṇu as the sustaining, illuminating principle behind cosmic order—life, time, and dharma—while still affirming his personal divinity.