Shloka 85

Devanagari script

न्यग्रोधः पुष्करद्वीपे ब्रह्मणः स्थानम् उत्तमम् तस्मिन् निवसति ब्रह्मा पूज्यमानः सुरासुरैः

Transliteration

nyagrodhaḥ puṣkaradvīpe brahmaṇaḥ sthānam uttamam tasmin nivasati brahmā pūjyamānaḥ surāsuraiḥ

Translation

In Puṣkara-dvīpa stands the Nyagrodha (the cosmic banyan), the most exalted abode of Brahmā. There Brahmā dwells, revered and worshipped alike by the devas and the asuras.

Word by Word

• न्यग्रोधः: banyan tree (nyagrodha)
• न्यग्रोधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्यग्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• पुष्करद्वीपे: in Pushkara-dvīpa
• पुष्करद्वीपे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (पुष्करस्य द्वीपः)

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन

• स्थानम्: abode / place
• स्थानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन

• तस्मिन्: in that (place)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; निर्देशवाचक-सर्वनाम

• निवसति: dwells
• निवसति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• पूज्यमानः: being worshipped
• पूज्यमानः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्तः (present passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• सुरासुरैः: by gods and demons
• सुरासुरैः: Karana/Agent-in-passive (Instrument/कर्ता in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वसमासः (सुर + असुर)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Sacred landmarks within Puṣkara-dvīpa, especially Brahmā’s abode and its worship

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: reverential

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Dvipas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even antagonistic beings (devas and asuras) participate in worship when confronted with a manifest cosmic sacred center, indicating the irresistible authority of divine order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Honor sacred centers and divine offices (without envy or factionalism); cultivate humility by recognizing greatness wherever it is established by dharma.

Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic administration (Brahmā’s station) functions within Nārāyaṇa’s sovereignty; reverence to the cosmic hierarchy aligns the soul to the Lord’s ordered body (śarīra-śarīrī-bhāva).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Devas
• Asuras
• Puṣkara-dvīpa
• Nyagrodha (banyan)

FAQs

What is the significance of Puṣkara-dvīpa in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse marks Puṣkara-dvīpa as a climactic sacred zone in the dvīpa-description, featuring Brahmā’s highest abode at the Nyagrodha, emphasizing cosmic centrality and order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain cosmic geography in this chapter?

Parāśara systematically enumerates dvīpas and their defining sacred landmarks; here he highlights the Nyagrodha in Puṣkara-dvīpa as Brahmā’s residence to anchor the narrative map with a theological center.

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

Even when Brahmā’s abode is described, the Purāṇic frame presumes Viṣṇu as the Supreme Reality whose sovereignty sustains the cosmic order in which Brahmā performs creation and receives worship.