Shloka 88

इक्ष्वाकुवंश-प्रसङ्गः, पुरंजय-दैवसाहाय्य-कथा, युवनाश्व-मांधातृ-उत्पत्तिः, सौभरि-वैराग्योपदेशः

Devanagari script

सर्वस्य धातारम् अचिन्त्यरूपम् अणोर् अणीयांसम् अतिप्रमाणम् सितासितं चेश्वरम् ईश्वराणाम् आराधयिष्ये तपसैव विष्णुम्

Transliteration

sarvasya dhātāram acintyarūpam aṇor aṇīyāṃsam atipramāṇam sitāsitaṃ ceśvaram īśvarāṇām ārādhayiṣye tapasaiva viṣṇum

Translation

I shall worship Vishnu through austerity alone—Vishnu, the sustainer of all, whose form is beyond thought; subtler than the subtlest atom, yet immeasurable beyond all measure; the Lord both fair and dark, the Sovereign over all sovereigns.

Word by Word

• सर्वस्य: of all
• सर्वस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• धातारम्: the sustainer/creator
• धातारम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातृ (प्रातिपदिक; कर्तृ-नाम) < √धा (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अचिन्त्यरूपम्: of inconceivable form
• अचिन्त्यरूपम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अचिन्त्य (कृदन्त; √चिन्त् धातु, यत्/ण्यत्) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अचिन्त्यं रूपं यस्य/अचिन्त्यरूपम्)

• अणोः: than an atom (of the atom)
• अणोः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive of comparison/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अणु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अणीयांसम्: smaller (more minute)
• अणीयांसम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अणीयस् (प्रातिपदिक; तुलनात्मक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (धातारम् इति)

• अतिप्रमाणम्: beyond measure, immeasurable
• अतिप्रमाणम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अतिशयेन प्रमाणम्/प्रमाणातीतम्)

• सितासितम्: white and black (all contrasts)
• सितासितम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित + असित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्वन्द्वः (सितं च असितं च)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• ईश्वरम्: the Lord
• ईश्वरम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ईश्वराणाम्: of (all) lords
• ईश्वराणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• आराधयिष्ये: I will worship
• आराधयिष्ये: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: राध् (धातु) + आ (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• एव: indeed, alone
• एव: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• विष्णुम्: Vishnu
• विष्णुम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya; invocatory praise of Vishnu)

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Primary

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda (universe)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Viṣṇu is the inconceivable sustainer and sovereign—both subtler than the subtlest and beyond all measure—worthy of worship through tapas as a focused act of devotion.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Adopt a steady sādhana (japa, vrata, disciplined living) as ‘tapas’ oriented to Viṣṇu rather than egoic achievement.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms the Lord’s transcendence (acintya, atipramāṇa) while remaining the dhātā of all—supporting the Viśiṣṭādvaita view of Brahman as personal, attributive, and causally related to the universe.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of describing Vishnu as “aṇor aṇīyān” and “atipramāṇa” in the Vishnu Purana?

It expresses both immanence and transcendence: Vishnu pervades the smallest (subtler than an atom) while also exceeding all categories of measurement, affirming him as the Supreme Reality beyond limiting concepts.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the proper approach to worship in this context?

Through the vow “ārādhayiṣye tapasaiva,” Parāśara frames disciplined austerity (tapas) as a direct form of devotion, aligning the seeker’s mind and conduct toward the inconceivable Lord.

What is the theological importance of calling Vishnu “īśvaram īśvarāṇām” here?

It establishes Vishnu’s ultimate sovereignty: even beings regarded as lords derive authority from him, a core Vaishnava position that supports later cosmological and devotional teachings in the Purana.