Shloka 141

दुर्वासाशापः, क्षीरसागरमन्थनम्, श्रीः (लक्ष्मी) उद्भवः तथा श्रीस्तुतिः

Devanagari script

राघवत्वे ऽभवत् सीता रुक्मिणी कृष्णजन्मनि अन्येषु चावतारेषु विष्णोर् एषा सहायिनी

Transliteration

rāghavatve 'bhavat sītā rukmiṇī kṛṣṇajanmani anyeṣu cāvatāreṣu viṣṇor eṣā sahāyinī

Translation

When He was born as Rāghava (Rāma), she became Sītā; when He was born as Kṛṣṇa, she became Rukmiṇī. In Viṣṇu’s other descents as well, this Goddess ever remains His companion.

Word by Word

• राघवत्वे: in (the state of) being Rāghava (Rāma)
• राघवत्वे: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघवत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अभवत्: became, was
• अभवत्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सीता: Sītā
• सीता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• रुक्मिणी: Rukmiṇī
• रुक्मिणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुक्मिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कृष्णजन्मनि: in the birth (incarnation) as Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णजन्मनि: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कृष्णस्य जन्मनि)

• अन्येषु: in other
• अन्येषु: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक/conjunction)

• अवतारेषु: in incarnations
• अवतारेषु: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

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

• सहायिनी: companion, helper
• सहायिनी: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement/कर्तृसमानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहायिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Lakṣmī’s identity across avatāras as Viṣṇu’s inseparable companion

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Rama

Purpose: To uphold maryādā-dharma and protect the world by exemplifying righteous kingship and defeating forces that disrupt order.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Rāja-dharma and social order grounded in truth, restraint, and protection of the innocent

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śrī is inseparable from Viṣṇu and manifests correspondingly in each descent, revealing the eternal divine couple as the locus of grace.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Cultivate devotion that honors both Viṣṇu and Śrī as conjoint refuge—seeking protection and guidance through remembrance and worship.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord is never ‘without attributes’: Śrī as eternal inseparable śakti/consort underscores a qualified, personal Absolute who bestows grace.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: shanta

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Lakshmi (implied as the divine companion)
• Rama (Rāghava)
• Sita
• Krishna
• Rukmini

FAQs

What is the significance of Lakshmi accompanying Vishnu in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse teaches that the Goddess (Śrī/Lakṣmī) is not incidental but eternally united with Viṣṇu, manifesting alongside Him in each avatāra to support His dharmic mission.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the continuity of avatāras through different names like Sītā and Rukmiṇī?

Parāśara frames Sītā and Rukmiṇī as the same divine principle appearing in different historical-līlā contexts, showing a theological continuity beneath changing forms and eras.

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

Viṣṇu is presented as the sovereign Supreme who descends into the world while retaining His divine fullness, and His inseparable śakti (Lakṣmī) accompanies Him to uphold cosmic order and grace.