Shloka 2

भरतचरितम्—मृगासक्ति-हेतुकः समाधिभङ्गः, जातिस्मरत्वं, रहूगण-जाḍभरत-संवादः

Devanagari script

विष्ण्वाधारं यथा चैतत् त्रैलोक्यं समवस्थितम् परमार्थश् च मे प्रोक्तो यथा ज्ञानं प्रधानतः

Transliteration

viṣṇvādhāraṃ yathā caitat trailokyaṃ samavasthitam paramārthaś ca me prokto yathā jñānaṃ pradhānataḥ

Translation

You have explained how this threefold world stands established upon Viṣṇu as its very foundation; and you have also declared to me the highest truth—how true knowledge, in its foremost sense, is to be understood.

Word by Word

• viṣṇu-ādhāram: having Vishnu as support
• viṣṇu-ādhāram: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + ādhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन; विशेषण (विष्णौ आधारः यस्य)

• yathā: as, how
• yathā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (as, how)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• trailokyam: the three worlds
• trailokyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (त्रयाणां लोकानां समाहारः)

• samavasthitam: is situated/established
• samavasthitam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ava-sthā (स्था धातु) + samavasthita (क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (well-established/situated)

• paramārthaḥ: the highest truth
• paramārthaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समास (परमः अर्थः)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• me: to me / of me
• me: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (Case 6/4) एकवचन; एन्क्लिटिक रूप

• proktaḥ: was told
• proktaḥ: Kriya (Predicative/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-vac (वच् धातु) + prokta (क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (told)

• yathā: as, how
• yathā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय

• jñānam: knowledge
• jñānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• pradhānataḥ: primarily, chiefly
• pradhānataḥ: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pradhānataḥ (अव्यय; pradhāna-तस्)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (adverb: chiefly/primarily)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Maitreya

Topic: How the three worlds rest upon Viṣṇu as their foundation, and what constitutes the highest truth (paramārtha) and foremost knowledge.

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: inquisitive

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The three worlds are established upon Viṣṇu as their support, and true knowledge culminates in understanding the highest reality (paramārtha) grounded in Him.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Study cosmology and life experience as expressions dependent on the Lord, and orient learning toward God-centered wisdom rather than mere information.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms Viṣṇu as the ontological foundation (ādhāra) of all realms—supporting the view that the universe and selves are real modes dependent on the Supreme.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Trailokya (three worlds)
• Paramartha (Supreme Reality)
• Jnana (true knowledge)

FAQs

What is the significance of Viṣṇu being called the support (ādhāra) of the three worlds in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames Viṣṇu not merely as a deity within the cosmos but as the sustaining ground upon which the entire three-world system is established.

How does Sage Parāśara explain paramārtha (the highest truth) in this dialogue?

Parāśara signals that he will define paramārtha by prioritizing jñāna—knowledge in its principal sense—centered on understanding Viṣṇu as ultimate reality.

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

Viṣṇu is presented as the supreme principle underlying cosmic order, aligning the Purāṇic narrative with a Vaishnava metaphysics where realization of truth culminates in Viṣṇu.