Shloka 103

सूर्यरथ-कालचक्र-आयनविभागः, संध्योपासनम्, देवयान-पितृयानम्, विष्णुपद-गङ्गावतरणम्

Devanagari script

दिवीव चक्षुर् आततं विततं यन् महात्मनाम् विवेकज्ञानदृष्टं च तद् विष्णोः परमं पदम्

Transliteration

divīva cakṣur ātataṃ vitataṃ yan mahātmanām vivekajñānadṛṣṭaṃ ca tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṃ padam

Translation

That which, for the great-souled, is like an all-pervading eye spread out across the heavens—vast and extended everywhere—and which is beheld through discriminative wisdom: that indeed is Vishnu’s supreme station.

Word by Word

• दिवि: in heaven/sky
• दिवि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• इव: like/as
• इव: Upamana-marker (Comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—उपमा (particle of comparison)

• चक्षुः: an eye
• चक्षुः: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्षुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आततम्: stretched out
• आततम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + तन् (धातु) → आतत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विततम्: spread out
• विततम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + तन् (धातु) → वितत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• यत्: which
• यत्: Visheshya (Relative/यद्-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• महात्मनाम्: of the great-souled ones
• महात्मनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• विवेकज्ञानदृष्टम्: seen by discriminative knowledge
• विवेकज्ञानदृष्टम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विवेक + ज्ञान + दृष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) 'seen'; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (विवेकज्ञानस्य दृष्टम् = seen by discriminative knowledge)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—समुच्चय (conjunction)

• तद्: that
• तद्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• पदम्: abode/state
• पदम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The supreme station of Viṣṇu is all-pervading like a cosmic ‘eye’ and is realized by the great-souled through discriminative wisdom (viveka-jñāna).

Vedantic Theme: Atman

Application: Develop viveka through study, meditation, and ethical clarity; let discernment refine perception from the transient to the all-pervading Lord.

Vishishtadvaita: Knowledge is not mere abstraction: it culminates in vision of the personal, all-pervading Lord who indwells and illumines the intellect of the wise.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman (philosophical)

Bhakti Type: Shanta (peaceful)

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of Vishnu’s parama-pada (supreme abode) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents Vishnu’s parama-pada as a supreme, all-pervading reality realized not by ordinary sight but by inner, discriminative wisdom.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the means of perceiving the Supreme in this passage?

Parāśara indicates that the Supreme is “seen” through viveka and jñāna—discernment and spiritual knowledge—rather than through sensory perception.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is affirmed as the highest state/abode and the ultimate object of realization—transcendent yet pervasive—supporting core Vaishnava teachings about the Supreme Reality.