Shloka 89

Devanagari script

तेजसा नागराजानं तथाप्यायितवान् हरिः अन्येन तेजसा देवान् उपबृंहितवान् विभुः

Transliteration

tejasā nāgarājānaṃ tathāpyāyitavān hariḥ anyena tejasā devān upabṛṃhitavān vibhuḥ

Translation

By His own radiant power, Hari nourished and strengthened the king of serpents; and by another radiance, the all-pervading Lord likewise invigorated the gods—sustaining each order of beings according to its place in the cosmic balance.

Word by Word

• तेजसा: by (his) radiance
• तेजसा: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचनम्

• नाग-राजानम्: the king of serpents
• नाग-राजानम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक) + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नागानां राजा)

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: निपात (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (manner adverb)

• अप्यायितवान्: nourished/refreshed
• अप्यायितवान्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अपि-आ-या (धातु) → अप्यायितवत् (क्तवत्-कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकाले क्तवत्-प्रत्ययान्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; कर्तरि प्रयोगः (हरिः)

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचनम्

• अन्येन: by another
• अन्येन: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (तेजसा)

• तेजसा: by radiance
• तेजसा: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचनम्

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचनम्

• उपबृंहितवान्: strengthened/increased
• उपबृंहितवान्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप- बृंह् (धातु) → उपबृंहितवत् (क्तवत्-कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकाले क्तवत्-प्रत्ययान्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; कर्तरि प्रयोगः (विभुः)

• विभुः: the all-pervading Lord
• विभुः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचनम्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How Hari sustained different beings with differentiated tejas during samudra-manthana

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Kurma

Purpose: He apportions distinct divine energies to strengthen Vāsuki and separately invigorate the devas so the churning proceeds without collapse.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Right distribution of strength sustaining each being’s role in the cosmic order

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The all-pervading Lord distributes power according to each being’s dharma, sustaining the whole through differentiated grace.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Recognize diverse capacities and roles in community; support others appropriately rather than uniformly, mirroring divine stewardship.

Vishishtadvaita: Differentiated bestowal of śakti within one divine source reflects unity with real plurality—hallmark of Viśiṣṭādvaita (one Brahman, many dependent selves).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Hari)
• Nāgarāja (King of the Nāgas)
• Devas (gods)

FAQs

What is the significance of divine tejas in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents tejas as Vishnu’s regulating power—His radiance nourishes different classes of beings, maintaining cosmic equilibrium rather than empowering one side absolutely.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the balancing of cosmic forces?

Parāśara depicts Vishnu as distributing strength through distinct energies (“another tejas”) so that devas and nāgas each flourish in their proper spheres, preserving harmony in creation.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is shown as Vibhu, the supreme sovereign whose sustaining presence underlies all beings; even opposing or differing orders are upheld by Him as the ground of universal order.