Shloka 139

दुर्वासाशापः, क्षीरसागरमन्थनम्, श्रीः (लक्ष्मी) उद्भवः तथा श्रीस्तुतिः

Devanagari script

एवं यदा जगत्स्वामी देवदेवो जनार्दनः अवतारं करोत्य् एषा तदा श्रीस् तत्सहायिनी

Transliteration

evaṃ yadā jagatsvāmī devadevo janārdanaḥ avatāraṃ karoty eṣā tadā śrīs tatsahāyinī

Translation

Thus, whenever Janārdana—the Lord of the universe, the God of gods—assumes an avatāra, Śrī (Lakṣmī) is then present beside Him, as His inseparable companion and aid.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Adverbial (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (thus)

• यदा: when
• यदा: Adverbial (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (relative temporal: when)

• जगत्स्वामी: the Lord of the world
• जगत्स्वामी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत्-स्वामिन् (प्रातिपदिक; जगत् + स्वामिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (जगतः स्वामी)

• देवदेवः: the God of gods
• देवदेवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-देव (प्रातिपदिक; देव + देव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (देवानां देवः)

• जनार्दनः: Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• जनार्दनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अवतारम्: an incarnation
• अवतारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• करोति: makes; takes (assumes)
• करोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमानकाल), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adverbial (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• श्रीः: Śrī (Lakṣmī)
• श्रीः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘एषा’ इत्यस्य अप्पोजिशन (apposition)

• तत्सहायिनी: his companion/helper
• तत्सहायिनी: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत्-सहायिनी (प्रातिपदिक; तत् + सहायिनी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तस्य सहायिनी); ‘श्रीः’ इति विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Doctrinal principle: Śrī’s inseparability from Janārdana in every avatāra

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: In every avatāra of Janārdana, Śrī is ever-present as His inseparable companion, indicating the unity of the Lord and His auspicious power.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: In worship, honor both Nārāyaṇa and Śrī; cultivate reliance on grace alongside disciplined practice.

Vishishtadvaita: Śrī-Nārāyaṇa inseparability supports a personal, qualified non-dualism: the one Brahman is never without attributes/powers and remains both transcendent Lord and gracious refuge.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Lakshmi Presence: Sri (fortune)

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Janardana)
• Lakshmi (Shri)

FAQs

What is the significance of Śrī (Lakṣmī) accompanying Viṣṇu’s avatāras in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse states that whenever Viṣṇu descends, Śrī is present with Him—showing their inseparable unity and that divine grace and auspiciousness manifest alongside the Lord’s saving action.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the relationship between Viṣṇu and Śrī in this context?

Parāśara presents Śrī not as incidental, but as tat-sahāyinī—His constant companion—indicating an enduring theological bond that persists across all incarnations.

What is the theological importance of calling Viṣṇu 'jagatsvāmī' and 'devadeva' here?

These titles frame the avatāra not as a limited event but as the act of the Supreme Lord; the descents proceed from the sovereign God of gods, with Śrī as His ever-present power of auspiciousness and support.