Shloka 34

Devanagari script

देवतिर्यङ्मनुष्येषु पुंनाम्नि भगवान् हरिः स्त्रीनाम्नि लक्ष्मीर् मैत्रेय नानयोर् विद्यते परम्

Transliteration

devatiryaṅmanuṣyeṣu puṃnāmni bhagavān hariḥ strīnāmni lakṣmīr maitreya nānayor vidyate param

Translation

Among gods, beasts, and human beings, O Maitreya, wherever a male name is uttered it denotes Bhagavān Hari; wherever a female name is spoken it denotes Śrī Lakṣmī. Beyond these two there is no higher Reality.

Word by Word

• देव: among gods
• देव: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• तिर्यक्: among animals
• तिर्यक्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिर्यक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• मनुष्येषु: among humans
• मनुष्येषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• पुंनाम्नि: in the masculine name/form
• पुंनाम्नि: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंनामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; ‘नाम्नि’ = नामन्-शब्दस्य सप्तमी एकवचन

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• स्त्रीनाम्नि: in the feminine name/form
• स्त्रीनाम्नि: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्रीनामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; ‘नाम्नि’ = नामन्-शब्दस्य सप्तमी एकवचन

• लक्ष्मीः: Lakshmi
• लक्ष्मीः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• मैत्रेय: O Maitreya
• मैत्रेय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• अनयोः: of these two
• अनयोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया/षष्ठी (2nd/6th), द्विवचन; अत्र षष्ठी (genitive) अधिकम्

• विद्यते: exists
• विद्यते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• परम्: anything higher/supreme (beyond)
• परम्: Predicate (विशेष्य-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (predicate nominative)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Supreme reality in relation to Hari and Śrī; the ultimate principle denoted by names and forms

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: All male designations ultimately denote Bhagavān Hari and all female designations denote Śrī, and beyond this divine dyad there is no higher reality.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Contemplate all names/forms as grounded in the Lord and Śrī, cultivating reverence and non-sectarian vision in daily speech and perception.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms the supreme Brahman as Hari inseparably with Śrī, supporting a personal absolute that is both transcendent and immanent (antaryāmin) while remaining the जगत्कारण.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Hari)
• Lakshmi (Sri)
• Maitreya
• Devas
• Tiryak (animals)
• Manushyas (humans)

FAQs

What is the significance of Hari and Lakshmi being identified through male and female names in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse teaches divine immanence: all masculine designations ultimately point to Hari, and all feminine designations to Lakshmi, expressing that the universe is pervaded and upheld by the inseparable divine pair.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the supreme reality through this verse?

Parāśara frames ultimate reality as non-surpassed: across all categories of beings, the foundational referents are Hari and Lakshmi, and he states that nothing higher than them exists.

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

Vishnu is presented as the supreme, all-pervading Bhagavān (Para Brahman), with Lakshmi as his inseparable śakti—together constituting the highest principle beyond which nothing transcends.