Shloka 52

दुर्वासाशापः, क्षीरसागरमन्थनम्, श्रीः (लक्ष्मी) उद्भवः तथा श्रीस्तुतिः

Devanagari script

यस्यायुतायुतांशांशे विश्वशक्तिर् इयं स्थिता परब्रह्मस्वरूपस्य प्रणमामि तम् अव्ययम्

Transliteration

yasyāyutāyutāṃśāṃśe viśvaśaktir iyaṃ sthitā parabrahmasvarūpasya praṇamāmi tam avyayam

Translation

I bow to the Imperishable One whose very nature is the Supreme Brahman—within an infinitesimal fraction of whose boundless being this entire power of the universe abides.

Word by Word

• यस्य: whose/of whom
• यस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• अयुतायुतांशांशे: in a fraction of a fraction of ten-thousands (infinitesimal part)
• अयुतायुतांशांशे: Adhikarana (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयुत (प्रातिपदिक) + अयुत (प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; बहु-षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष-समाससमूह (अयुतानाम् अयुतस्य अंशस्य अंशे इति भावः)

• विश्वशक्तिः: the universal power
• विश्वशक्तिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (विश्वस्य शक्तिः)

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: Karta-sahacara (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; निर्देशसूचक सर्वनाम

• स्थिता: is situated/stands
• स्थिता: Kriya (Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (agreeing with शक्तिः)

• परब्रह्मस्वरूपस्य: of the one whose nature is the Supreme Brahman
• परब्रह्मस्वरूपस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (परब्रह्मणः स्वरूपम्)

• प्रणमामि: I bow to
• प्रणमामि: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तम्: him/that one
• तम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; निर्देशसूचक सर्वनाम

• अव्ययम्: imperishable
• अव्ययम्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (tam)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya; verse occurs within a praise of Vishnu as the supreme cause)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How the universe’s power abides within an infinitesimal portion of the Supreme Brahman (Viṣṇu)

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Primary

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda (universe)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The entire cosmic potency resides within only an infinitesimal fraction of the Supreme Brahman who is Viṣṇu, establishing His absolute supremacy and causal status.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Cultivate humility and reliance on the Divine by recognizing all powers—personal and cosmic—as derivative and dependent.

Vishishtadvaita: Supports the doctrine that the universe is a real mode (prakāra) dependent on the Supreme—contained within Him—while He remains immeasurably greater than it.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Para Brahman)
• Universal Shakti (Viśvaśakti)

FAQs

What is the significance of describing the universe as existing in a tiny fraction of Vishnu?

It emphasizes Vishnu’s absolute transcendence and sovereignty: the cosmos and its powers are contained within Him and depend on Him, while He remains immeasurable and unchanged.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the place of Shakti (power) in the Vishnu Purana?

Here Shakti is presented as the universe’s operative power that abides in Vishnu; it is not independent but grounded in the Supreme (Para Brahman) who remains the ultimate support and source.

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

Vishnu is affirmed as Para Brahman—imperishable and all-containing—so devotion (praṇāma) is directed to the supreme ground of creation, preservation, and cosmic order.