Shloka 34

दुर्वासाशापः, क्षीरसागरमन्थनम्, श्रीः (लक्ष्मी) उद्भवः तथा श्रीस्तुतिः

Devanagari script

यथावत् कथितो देवैर् ब्रह्मा प्राह ततः सुरान् परावरेशं शरणं व्रजध्वम् असुरार्दनम्

Transliteration

yathāvat kathito devair brahmā prāha tataḥ surān parāvareśaṃ śaraṇaṃ vrajadhvam asurārdanam

Translation

When the gods had reported everything in due order, Brahmā addressed the Devas: “Go and take refuge in the Lord of the higher and the lower realms—Śrī Viṣṇu, the destroyer of the Asuras.”

Word by Word

• यथावत्: duly / properly
• यथावत्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: duly/according to what is proper)

• कथितः: having been informed
• कथितः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कथ् (धातु) + क्त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘having been told’

• देवैः: by the gods
• देवैः: Karana (Agent/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह्/ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: then/thereupon)

• सुरान्: to the gods
• सुरान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• परावरेशम्: the Lord of the higher and the lower
• परावरेशम्: Karman (Object in apposition/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + अवर (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—परस्य च अवरस्य च ईशः (lord of higher and lower)

• शरणम्: as refuge
• शरणम्: Karman (Goal/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• व्रजध्वम्: go
• व्रजध्वम्: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• असुरार्दनम्: the destroyer of the Asuras
• असुरार्दनम्: Karman (Object in apposition/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—असुराणाम् अर्दनः (destroyer of demons)

Speaker

Brahmā (as reported within Parāśara’s narration to Maitreya)

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas (worlds)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Brahmā directs the gods to śaraṇāgati in Viṣṇu, the supreme ruler of all realms and destroyer of asuric disorder.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Adopt śaraṇāgati: when overwhelmed, consciously take refuge in Nārāyaṇa through prayer, remembrance, and aligning actions to dharma.

Vishishtadvaita: Parāvareśa implies the Lord’s transcendence (para) and immanence (avara), central to qualified non-dualism: the world is real and ruled from within by Viṣṇu.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Devas (Suras)
• Vishnu (implied by epithets)
• Asuras

FAQs

What is the significance of taking refuge (śaraṇaṃ vrajadhvam) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames refuge in Vishnu as the decisive response to cosmic disorder: even the Devas are instructed to seek protection in the Supreme Lord rather than relying solely on their own power.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Vishnu’s supremacy in this context?

By preserving Brahmā’s instruction to the gods—calling Vishnu “Parāvareśa”—the narrative presents Vishnu as sovereign over all levels of existence, the ultimate authority who can resolve Deva–Asura imbalance.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is portrayed as the Supreme Reality and universal governor: the one refuge for gods and the decisive force against adharma, aligning with core Vaishnava emphasis on divine sovereignty and protection.