Shloka 51

भू-मण्डलसंक्षेपवर्णनम् — सप्तद्वीप-सप्तसमुद्राः, मेरु-मानम्, गङ्गावतरणम्, देववन-सरोवर-लोकपालपुर्यः

Devanagari script

सर्वस्याधारभूतो ऽसौ मैत्रेयास्ते ऽखिलात्मकः

Transliteration

sarvasyādhārabhūto 'sau maitreyāste 'khilātmakaḥ

Translation

He alone is the support of all that exists; O Maitreya, know Him as the very Self of the entire universe.

Word by Word

• सर्वस्य: of all
• सर्वस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (6th/Genitive), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-शब्दः

• आधारभूतः: being the support/foundation
• आधारभूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आधार-भूत (प्रातिपदिक; आधार + भूत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (आधारः भूतो यः)

• असौ: that one (he)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• मैत्रेय: O Maitreya
• मैत्रेय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (8th/Vocative), एकवचनम्

• आस्ते: abides
• आस्ते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

• अखिलात्मकः: whose nature is all (all-embodied)
• अखिलात्मकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल-आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक; अखिल + आत्मक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अखिलस्य आत्मा/स्वरूपं यस्य)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The ontological status of Viṣṇu as the support and Self of all.

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Viṣṇu is the ādhāra (support) of all and the akhilātman—the inner Self present in every form.

Vedantic Theme: Atman

Application: Cultivate inward recollection: in meditation and daily action, recognize the same indwelling Lord in oneself and others.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms antaryāmitva (indwelling rulership) while maintaining real cosmos as His supported body, not an illusion.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman (philosophical)

Bhakti Type: Shanta (peace)

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of Vishnu being called the ‘support of all’ in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse asserts Vishnu as the underlying substratum of existence—everything depends on Him for being, stability, and continuity.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the idea of the ‘Self of all’ (akhilātmakaḥ)?

In the Parāśara–Maitreya dialogue, it conveys that Vishnu pervades all forms as their inner essence, not merely as an external creator but as the indwelling reality of the cosmos.

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

The verse frames Vishnu as Supreme Reality—both transcendent and immanent—supporting a Vaishnava metaphysics central to later Vishishtadvaita and Dvaita readings.