Shloka 120

दुर्वासाशापः, क्षीरसागरमन्थनम्, श्रीः (लक्ष्मी) उद्भवः तथा श्रीस्तुतिः

Devanagari script

त्वया देवि परित्यक्तं सकलं भुवनत्रयम् विनष्टप्रायम् अभवत् त्वयेदानीं समेधितम्

Transliteration

tvayā devi parityaktaṃ sakalaṃ bhuvanatrayam vinaṣṭaprāyam abhavat tvayedānīṃ samedhitam

Translation

O Goddess, when you withdrew, the threefold world was almost ruined; now, by your presence once more, it has flourished and come to fullness.

Word by Word

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे (f.), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• देवि: O Goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे (f.), सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• परित्यक्तम्: abandoned, forsaken
• परित्यक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-त्यज् (धातु) → परित्यक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तम् (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्गे (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• सकलम्: entire
• सकलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• भुवनत्रयम्: the three worlds
• भुवनत्रयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुवन + त्रय (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: द्विगु-समासः (numerical compound), नपुंसकलिङ्गे (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• विनष्टप्रायम्: almost destroyed
• विनष्टप्रायम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनष्ट + प्राय (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समासः, नपुंसकलिङ्गे (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• अभवत्: became, was
• अभवत्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (Singular), परस्मैपदम्

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे (f.), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• इदानीम्: now
• इदानीम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time adjunct/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इदानीम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (temporal adverb)

• समेधितम्: prospered, was made to flourish
• समेधितम्: Kriyā (Predicate complement/क्रियाविशेषण-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-एध् (धातु) → समेधित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तम् (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्गे (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचनम् (Singular)

Speaker

Likely a deity or exalted speaker addressing the Goddess (Śrī/Lakṣmī) within Parāśara’s narration to Maitreya (exact speaker not specified in the provided excerpt).

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Praise of Śrī and her indispensability for the flourishing of the worlds

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: reverential

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas (worlds)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The prosperity and stability of the three worlds are upheld by Śrī’s presence, and her withdrawal signals decline.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate gratitude and devotion to Śrī-Nārāyaṇa, seeing well-being as grace rather than mere self-effort.

Vishishtadvaita: Śrī is inseparable from Nārāyaṇa and functions as compassionate mediation of divine grace toward the world.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Bhakti Type: Shanta (peaceful)

Lakshmi Presence: Sri (fortune)

Characters & Entities

• Three Worlds (Bhuvanatraya)
• Sri/Lakshmi (implied)

FAQs

What is the significance of the Goddess’ presence in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames the Goddess (Śrī/Lakṣmī) as the principle of prosperity and stability: when she departs, the three worlds decline toward ruin; when she returns, they flourish.

How does Sage Parāśara explain cosmic stability in this context?

Through narrative theology: the world’s wellbeing is not merely material but depends on divine auspicious power—prosperity and order arise when that power is present.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Lakṣmī motif in the Vishnu Purana typically implies Vishnu’s sovereignty: Śrī’s flourishing power operates as inseparable auspiciousness aligned with Vishnu’s preservation of the cosmos.