Shloka 56

भविष्य-मन्वन्तराः (अष्टम-चतुर्दश) तथा कल्प-युग-व्यवस्था

Devanagari script

कृते युगे परं ज्ञानं कपिलादिस्वरूपधृक् ददाति सर्वभूतात्मा सर्वभूतहिते रतः

Transliteration

kṛte yuge paraṃ jñānaṃ kapilādisvarūpadhṛk dadāti sarvabhūtātmā sarvabhūtahite rataḥ

Translation

In the Kṛta Yuga, the Supreme Self—who is the very soul of all beings—bestows the highest knowledge, assuming forms such as Kapila; ever intent on the welfare of every creature, He teaches for the good of the whole world.

Word by Word

• कृते: in the Kṛta (Satya) age
• कृते: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; युगनाम (Kṛta-yuga)

• युगे: in the yuga
• युगे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (ज्ञानम्-विशेषण)

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• कपिलादिस्वरूपधृक्: assuming forms such as Kapila
• कपिलादिस्वरूपधृक्: कर्तृविशेषण (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कपिल + आदि + स्वरूप + धृक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कपिल-आदि-स्वरूप-धृक् = 'bearing the form of Kapila etc.')

• ददाति: gives
• ददाति: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सर्वभूतात्मा: the soul of all beings
• सर्वभूतात्मा: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + भूत + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सर्व-भूत-आत्मा = 'the self of all beings')

• सर्वभूतहिते: in the welfare of all beings
• सर्वभूतहिते: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + भूत + हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सर्व-भूत-हित)

• रतः: devoted, engaged
• रतः: कर्तृविशेषण (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत (प्रातिपदिक; √रम्-क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle used adjectivally)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Yuga-wise modes of Viṣṇu’s guidance—especially Satya-yuga’s gift of supreme knowledge through forms like Kapila.

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Yuga: Satya (Kṛta)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord, as the inner Self of all beings (sarvabhūtātmā), compassionately imparts liberating knowledge through enlightened manifestations such as Kapila.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Study and practice discriminative wisdom with a universalist ethic—seek knowledge that increases compassion and reduces egoism.

Vishishtadvaita: Knowledge is granted by the personal Supreme who is also the indwelling Self of all; liberation is relational—received by grace and realized as dependence on Him.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Kapila

FAQs

What is the significance of Kṛta Yuga in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents Kṛta Yuga as the age where Vishnu most directly grants “paraṃ jñānam” (highest liberating knowledge), emphasizing purity of dharma and clarity of spiritual insight.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Vishnu’s method of guiding beings across time?

Parāśara frames Vishnu as adapting His instruction to the age—here, in Kṛta Yuga, He teaches primarily through supreme knowledge, even taking forms such as Kapila to transmit it.

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

Vishnu is described as the indwelling Self of all beings and the benevolent sovereign who acts for universal welfare—His avatars and teachings are expressions of His sustaining and liberating power.