Shloka 88
पयांसि सर्वदा सर्वसमुद्रेषु समानि वै न्यूनातिरिक्तता तेषां कदाचिन् नैव जायते
payāṃsi sarvadā sarvasamudreṣu samāni vai nyūnātiriktatā teṣāṃ kadācin naiva jāyate
The waters, indeed, are ever the same in all the oceans; for them there is never—at any time—either diminution or excess.
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Why the oceans do not permanently increase or diminish despite observable changes
Teaching: Cosmological
Quality: didactic and clarifying
Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas
Concept: Nature follows an unwavering measure, implying an underlying sovereign order (niyati/ṛta) that sustains the world.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Cultivate inner balance: let emotions ‘rise and fall’ without exceeding dharmic limits.
Vishishtadvaita: The steadiness of cosmic measures points to an indwelling ruler (antaryāmin) who maintains order within the Lord’s embodied universe.
Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman (philosophical)
Bhakti Type: Shanta (peaceful)
Antaryamin: Yes
FAQs
It highlights cosmic stability: nature’s vast systems operate under a fixed order, reflecting an overarching governance that keeps the world from falling into imbalance.
By pointing to consistent measures—like the oceans neither increasing nor decreasing—Parāśara presents the universe as regulated, not accidental, and thus intelligible within dharma and divine sustenance.
Even when not named explicitly, the Purana’s framework treats Vishnu as the sustaining supreme reality: the steadiness of the seas becomes a sign of his preserving sovereignty over creation.