Shloka 52

Devanagari script

त्रैलोक्यम् अखिलं ग्रस्त्वा भगवान् आदिकृद् विभुः स्वमायासंस्थितो विप्र सर्वभूतो जनार्दनः

Transliteration

trailokyam akhilaṃ grastvā bhagavān ādikṛd vibhuḥ svamāyāsaṃsthito vipra sarvabhūto janārdanaḥ

Translation

Having engulfed the entire threefold world, the Blessed Lord—the primal maker, the all-pervading Sovereign—abides established in His own māyā; O brāhmaṇa, that Janārdana is the very being within all creatures.

Word by Word

• त्रैलोक्यम्: the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• अखिलम्: entire
• अखिलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (त्रैलोक्यम्)

• ग्रस्त्वा: having swallowed/engulfed
• ग्रस्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• आदिकृत्: the primeval creator
• आदिकृत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि + कृद् (प्रातिपदिक; कृ (धातु) से कृत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• विभुः: the all-pervading one
• विभुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• स्वमायासंस्थितः: abiding in his own māyā
• स्वमायासंस्थितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व + माया + संस्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; सम्-स्था धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (भगवतः)

• विप्र: O brahmin
• विप्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• सर्वभूतः: become all beings / as all beings
• सर्वभूतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (जनार्दनः)

• जनार्दनः: Janārdana (Vishnu)
• जनार्दनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The Lord’s immanence (antaryāmitva) and māyā during cosmic withdrawal

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas (worlds)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Janārdana withdraws the three worlds and yet remains established in His own māyā as the indwelling being of all entities.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Practice seeing the same divine presence within all beings to reduce hatred, pride, and fear in daily life.

Vishishtadvaita: Strong antaryāmin doctrine: the Lord is the inner self of all while remaining sovereign—supporting qualified non-dualism (cit and acit as His modes).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman (philosophical)

Bhakti Type: Shanta (peaceful)

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Trailokya (the three worlds)
• Maya (divine power)

FAQs

What is the significance of the Lord “engulfing the three worlds” in the Vishnu Purana?

It conveys Vishnu’s absolute sovereignty over creation and dissolution—He can withdraw the entire cosmos into Himself, showing that the worlds depend on Him for their very existence.

How does Sage Parāśara explain māyā in this context?

Parāśara presents māyā as the Lord’s own power by which He remains established while manifesting and regulating the cosmos—an expression of divine control rather than a limitation upon Him.

What is the theological importance of calling Janārdana “sarva-bhūta” (present as all beings)?

It teaches Vishnu’s immanence: He is not only transcendent but also the indwelling reality within all creatures, a key Vaishnava foundation for understanding the universe as upheld by the Supreme Person.