Shloka 84

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

Devanagari script

निर्द्वंद्वा निरभीमाना निस्तन्द्रा निष्परिग्रहाः लोकपालाः स्थिता ह्य् एते लोकालोके चतुर्दिशम्

Transliteration

nirdvaṃdvā nirabhīmānā nistandrā niṣparigrahāḥ lokapālāḥ sthitā hy ete lokāloke caturdiśam

Translation

Free from all dualities, without the conceit of ‘I’ and ‘mine’, unwearied and ever-vigilant, and possessing nothing for themselves—thus these Lokapālas stand at Lokāloka in the four directions.

Word by Word

• निर्द्वन्द्वाः: free from dualities
• निर्द्वन्द्वाः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् (उपसर्ग) + द्वन्द्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; नञ्/निर्-पूर्वक विशेषण (free from pairs/opposites)

• निरभीमानाः: without arrogance
• निरभीमानाः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् (उपसर्ग) + अभीमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘without pride/ego’

• निस्तन्द्राः: unwearied / not lazy
• निस्तन्द्राः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् (उपसर्ग) + तन्द्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘without sloth’

• निष्परिग्रहाः: without possessions
• निष्परिग्रहाः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निस् (उपसर्ग) + परिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘without possessions’

• लोकपालाः: world-guardians
• लोकपालाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + पाल (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लोकस्य पालाः)

• स्थिताः: are stationed / stand
• स्थिताः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि-क्त (past participle) used predicatively; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Discourse marker (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चयार्थक-निपात (indeed/for)

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• लोकालोके: in/at Lokāloka
• लोकालोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकालोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; स्थानवाचक

• चतुर्दिशम्: towards the four quarters
• चतुर्दिशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + दिश् (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाववत्/तत्पुरुष-प्रयोगः ‘towards the four directions’ (चतस्रः दिशः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Qualities and station of the Lokapālas at Lokāloka

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: compassionate

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas (worlds)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: True guardianship of order rests on inner renunciation: freedom from dualities, ego, sloth, and possessiveness.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice equanimity, reduce ego-claims, maintain alertness, and serve responsibilities without possessiveness.

Vishishtadvaita: Service (kainkarya) to the cosmic order is ennobled when ego and ownership are relinquished, aligning the self with the Supreme’s will.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman (philosophical)

Bhakti Type: Shanta (peaceful)

Characters & Entities

• Lokapālas (Guardians of the Directions)
• Lokāloka (cosmic boundary)

FAQs

What is the significance of Lokāloka in the Vishnu Purana?

Lokāloka is described as a cosmic boundary-region where the ordered, illumined worlds meet the outer darkness; the Lokapālas stand there to uphold the limits and stability of the world-system.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of the Lokapālas?

Parāśara portrays them as stationed in the four directions, maintaining cosmic order with unwavering vigilance and complete detachment—acting as instruments of universal governance rather than self-interested rulers.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the cosmology assumes a supreme sovereign principle: the guardians’ egoless, possessionless service reflects an ordered universe ultimately grounded in Vishnu’s sustaining power.