Shloka 15

मेरु-प्रमाणम्, सप्त-पाताल-वर्णनम्, तथा अनन्त-शेष-तत्त्वम्

Devanagari script

फणामणिसहस्रेण यः स विद्योतयन् दिशः सर्वान् करोति निर्वीर्यान् हिताय जगतो ऽसुरान्

Transliteration

phaṇāmaṇisahasreṇa yaḥ sa vidyotayan diśaḥ sarvān karoti nirvīryān hitāya jagato 'surān

Translation

He whose thousand serpent-hood jewels blaze forth, illuminating every direction—he drains the strength of the Asuras, rendering them powerless, and does so for the welfare of the world.

Word by Word

• फणामणिसहस्रेण: by/with a thousand hood-jewels
• फणामणिसहस्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फणा + मणि + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—फणानां मणीनां सहस्रेण

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; निर्देश-सर्वनाम (correlative)

• विद्योतयन्: shining/illuminating
• विद्योतयन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्योतय् (धातु; विद्योतयति)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी-भावः

• दिशः: the directions
• दिशः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• करोति: makes
• करोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• निर्वीर्यान्: powerless
• निर्वीर्यान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; उपसर्गपूर्वक-विशेषण

• हिताय: for the welfare
• हिताय: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थ (for the sake of)

• जगतः: of the world
• जगतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• असुरान्: the Asuras
• असुरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Sacred geography and the beings supporting the worlds (context of Bhū-maṇḍala description)

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Divine power restrains destructive forces not from malice but for loka-saṅgraha— the welfare and stability of the world.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate protective strength guided by compassion: oppose harm and injustice while holding the intention of universal welfare.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord’s śakti operates within the cosmos to uphold order, showing immanence without compromising transcendence.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari (name)

Bhakti Type: Shanta (peaceful)

Vyuha Form: Sankarshana

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Ananta/Shesha (serpent)
• Asuras

FAQs

What is the significance of the serpent-jewel imagery in the Vishnu Purana?

It signals Ananta/Śeṣa as a cosmic support and luminous power—an emblem of Vishnu’s all-pervading sovereignty that dispels darkness and disorder in every direction.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the subduing of Asuras here?

Parāśara frames it as loka-hita (the world’s welfare): the divine power does not merely punish, but restores balance by rendering disruptive forces powerless.

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

Vishnu is presented as the Supreme Reality who upholds dharma and cosmic stability, manifesting protective power that preserves the world’s order.