Shloka 24

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

Devanagari script

गन्धर्वाप्सरसः सिद्धाः किंनरोरगचारणाः नान्तं गुणानां गच्छन्ति तेनानन्तो ऽयम् अव्ययः

Transliteration

gandharvāpsarasaḥ siddhāḥ kiṃnaroragacāraṇāḥ nāntaṃ guṇānāṃ gacchanti tenānanto 'yam avyayaḥ

Translation

Gandharvas and Apsarases, the Siddhas, the Kiṃnaras, the Nāgas, and the Cāraṇas—none can reach the end of His qualities; therefore He is called Ananta, the Endless, and Avyaya, the Imperishable.

Word by Word

• गन्धर्व: Gandharvas
• गन्धर्व: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• अप्सरसः: Apsarases
• अप्सरसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासाङ्ग (उत्तरपद)

• सिद्धाः: Siddhas
• सिद्धाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• किंनर: Kiṃnaras
• किंनर: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंनर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• उरग: serpents
• उरग: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासाङ्ग (मध्यपद)

• चारणाः: Cāraṇas
• चारणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासाङ्ग (उत्तरपद)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (particle of negation)

• अन्तम्: end, limit
• अन्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• गुणानाम्: of (his) qualities
• गुणानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• गच्छन्ति: reach, attain
• गच्छन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• तेन: therefore, by that
• तेन: Hetu/Instrument (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अनन्तः: endless, infinite
• अनन्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अव्ययः: imperishable, undecaying
• अव्ययः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Sacred geography and the supporting cosmic beings (Nāgas), leading into descriptions of realms

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even the highest beings cannot reach the end of the Lord’s qualities; thus He is truly Ananta and Avyaya.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Cultivate humility and steady remembrance, replacing ‘knowing God fully’ with loving contemplation of His inexhaustible attributes.

Vishishtadvaita: The Supreme possesses infinite auspicious attributes (ananta-kalyāṇa-guṇa), knowable by devotion yet inexhaustible in fullness.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Gandharvas
• Apsarases
• Siddhas
• Kiṃnaras
• Nāgas (Uraga)
• Cāraṇas
• Vishnu (implied as Ananta/Avyaya)

FAQs

What is the significance of calling Vishnu ‘Ananta’ in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse defines ‘Ananta’ as the One whose divine qualities have no end—even the highest celestial beings cannot fathom their limit—so infinity is presented as a theological attribute of Vishnu.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Lord’s nature to Maitreya here?

Parāśara argues by contrast: if even perfected and heavenly beings cannot reach the end of His guṇas, then the Lord must be limitless and unchanging—hence Ananta (endless) and Avyaya (imperishable).

What is the theological importance of Vishnu in this context?

Vishnu is positioned as the Supreme Reality whose attributes transcend all cosmic hierarchies, supporting a Vaishnava view where God is not an abstract void but the imperishable Lord known through infinite auspicious qualities.