Shloka 54

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

Devanagari script

ओंकारो भगवान् विष्णुस् त्रिधामा वचसां पतिः तदुच्चारणतस् ते तु विनाशं यान्ति राक्षसाः

Transliteration

oṃkāro bhagavān viṣṇus tridhāmā vacasāṃ patiḥ taduccāraṇatas te tu vināśaṃ yānti rākṣasāḥ

Translation

The sacred syllable Oṃ is Bhagavān Viṣṇu Himself—the One established in the threefold realm, the Lord of all speech. By the very utterance of that Oṃ, those rākṣasas are driven to destruction.

Word by Word

• ओंकारः: Oṃkāra (the syllable Oṃ)
• ओंकारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: oṃkāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• भगवान्: the Blessed; divine
• भगवान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (ओंकारः/विष्णुः)

• विष्णुः: Vishnu
• विष्णुः: Apposition (Samānādhikaraṇa/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समानाधिकरण (ओंकारः)

• त्रिधामा: having three abodes/forms
• त्रिधामा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक) + dhāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (ओंकारः/विष्णुः)

• वचसाम्: of speech/words
• वचसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• पतिः: lord; master
• पतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• तदुच्चारणतः: from/by the utterance of that (Oṃ)
• तदुच्चारणतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम) + uccāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (हेतौ/अपादाने) — 'from/through the utterance of that'

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• तु: indeed; but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (विरोध/अवधारण)

• विनाशम्: destruction
• विनाशम्: Gati/Karma (Goal as object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vināśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• यान्ति: go; meet with
• यान्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• राक्षसाः: demons; rākṣasas
• राक्षसाः: Apposition (Samānādhikaraṇa/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; समानाधिकरण (ते)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Identity of Oṃ with Bhagavān Viṣṇu and its apotropaic power

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Praṇava is not merely a symbol but is identified with Bhagavān Viṣṇu, the lord of speech, whose utterance dispels demonic forces.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Use disciplined remembrance—japa of Oṃ (within one’s tradition and guidance)—to steady the mind and repel harmful impulses.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord is accessible through His names/sound (nāma) while remaining transcendent; divine immanence in vāṇī (speech) supports qualified non-dualism.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Om (Omkara)
• Rakshasas

FAQs

What is the significance of Om (Omkara) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse identifies Oṃ directly with Bhagavān Vishnu, presenting sacred sound as a manifestation of the Supreme and as a force that upholds order and dispels hostile, obstructive powers.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the power of recitation in this context?

Parāśara frames the utterance of Oṃ as intrinsically potent—its pronunciation itself functions as spiritual protection, causing destructive forces (rākṣasas) to lose their power and meet ruin.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Vishnu is portrayed as the Supreme Reality present as Oṃ, the master of speech and the sustaining authority across the threefold domain, reinforcing a strongly theistic (Vaishnava) view of ultimate sovereignty.