Shloka 28

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

Devanagari script

अवष्टम्भो गदापाणिः शक्तिर् लक्ष्मीर् द्विजोत्तम काष्ठा लक्ष्मीर् निमेषो ऽसौ मुहूर्तो ऽसौ कला तु सा

Transliteration

avaṣṭambho gadāpāṇiḥ śaktir lakṣmīr dvijottama kāṣṭhā lakṣmīr nimeṣo 'sau muhūrto 'sau kalā tu sā

Translation

O best of the twice-born, He is the Upholder and the Mace-bearer; His power is Śakti, and His glory is Lakṣmī. He Himself is the unit called kāṣṭhā; He is the nimeṣa, the blink of time; He is the muhūrta; and she indeed is the kalā—thus the Lord and His divine energy pervade even the measures of time.

Word by Word

• अवष्टम्भः: support, prop
• अवष्टम्भः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवष्टम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गदापाणिः: one whose hand holds a mace
• गदापाणिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (गदा पाणौ यस्य सः)

• शक्तिः: power
• शक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (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/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थे (द्विजेषु उत्तमः)

• काष्ठा: a unit of time (kāṣṭhā)
• काष्ठा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• निमेषः: a blink (unit of time)
• निमेषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निमेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• असौ: that (he/this one)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मुहूर्तः: muhūrta (time period)
• मुहूर्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• असौ: that (he/this one)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कला: kalā (a part/unit)
• कला: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: but/and
• तु: Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (conjunction/contrast)

• सा: she/that
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Pervasion of the Lord and His Śakti into supports of the world and even the measures of time (kāṣṭhā, nimeṣa, muhūrta, kalā)

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord as upholder and wielder of power pervades even the smallest measures by which time is reckoned, while Lakṣmī/Śakti is inseparable as His operative potency within those measures.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Use time-awareness as sādhana: at each blink or set interval (muhūrta), recollect the Lord and offer a brief mantra, turning time into worship.

Vishishtadvaita: Time and power are real tattvas functioning as the Lord’s modes (prakāra), with Śrī as inseparable śakti—supporting a qualified non-dual unity rather than world-negation.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman (philosophical)

Bhakti Type: Shanta (peaceful)

Lakshmi Presence: Sri (fortune)

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Lakshmi
• Shakti

FAQs

What is the significance of time-measures like nimeṣa and muhūrta in the Vishnu Purana?

They illustrate that Vishnu is not only beyond time but also present as its very structure—every unit of temporal measurement is portrayed as a form of His immanence.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the relationship between Vishnu, Śakti, and Lakṣmī here?

Parāśara presents Śakti and Lakṣmī as Vishnu’s inseparable power and fortune, indicating that divine sovereignty operates through energy (śakti) and auspicious abundance (lakṣmī) throughout creation.

What is the theological importance of calling Vishnu 'Gadāpāṇi' in this context?

It links the abstract doctrine of Vishnu as Kāla with the personal Lord of Vaishnava devotion—He is simultaneously the measurable flow of time and the supreme, weapon-bearing protector who upholds cosmic order.