Shloka 55

Devanagari script

शक्तयो यस्य देवस्य ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवात्मिकाः भवन्त्य् अभूतपूर्वस्य तद् विष्णोः परमं पदम्

Transliteration

śaktayo yasya devasya brahmaviṣṇuśivātmikāḥ bhavanty abhūtapūrvasya tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṃ padam

Translation

This is the supreme station of Viṣṇu—of that unparalleled Divine Being—whose powers manifest as Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva in their respective forms.

Word by Word

• शक्तयः: powers, energies
• शक्तयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• यस्य: of whom/whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• देवस्य: of the god
• देवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवात्मिकाः: having the nature of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva
• ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवात्मिकाः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + इक (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः): ‘ब्रह्म-विष्णु-शिव-आत्मा’ यस्याः/याः (having the nature of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva)

• भवन्ति: are/become
• भवन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अभूतपूर्वस्य: of the unprecedented one
• अभूतपूर्वस्य: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभूतपूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—कर्मधारयः: ‘अभूतं च तत् पूर्वं च’ → unprecedented

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Demonstrative/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• पदम्: state, abode, position
• पदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Primary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The one unsurpassed Viṣṇu is the supreme reality whose śaktis manifest as the triad of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Contemplate the divine unity behind diverse forms of cosmic function—creation, sustenance, dissolution—without sectarian fragmentation.

Vishishtadvaita: Viṣṇu remains the transcendent Para-Brahman while His powers (śaktis) operate as differentiated cosmic roles, supporting unity-with-distinction.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Brahma
• Shiva

FAQs

What is the significance of the Trimurti in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva as modes of the Lord’s śakti (powers), implying their functions arise from the supreme reality of Viṣṇu rather than existing independently.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine power (śakti) here?

Parāśara frames śakti as the Lord’s operative potency that can assume distinct cosmic roles—creation, preservation, and dissolution—while the supreme principle remains Viṣṇu’s highest state (paramaṃ padam).

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

Viṣṇu is affirmed as the peerless, supreme ground of all divine functions; even the great deities are understood as expressions of his transcendent sovereignty.