Shloka 33

देवकी-विवाहः, आकाशवाणी, भूरभारावतरण-याचना, क्षीराब्धि-स्तुति, केशावतार-नियोजनम्

Devanagari script

सर्वदैव जगत्य् अर्थे स सर्वात्मा जगन्मयः स्वल्पांशेनावतीर्योर्व्यां धर्मस्य कुरुते स्थितिम्

Transliteration

sarvadaiva jagaty arthe sa sarvātmā jaganmayaḥ svalpāṃśenāvatīryorvyāṃ dharmasya kurute sthitim

Translation

For the welfare of the world, that Supreme One—Self of all beings and pervader of the universe—again and again descends to earth with but a small portion of His power, and thus establishes the steadfast continuance of Dharma.

Word by Word

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphasis)

• जगति: in the world
• जगति: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• अर्थे: for the purpose
• अर्थे: Nimitta/Hetu (Purpose/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (for the sake/purpose)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वात्मा: the Self of all
• सर्वात्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘सर्वेषाम् आत्मा’ (the Self of all)

• जगन्मयः: consisting of the world, pervading the world
• जगन्मयः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जगत् + मय (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of सः)

• स्वल्पांशेन: with a small portion
• स्वल्पांशेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वल्प + अंश (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; करणार्थे (by/with a small portion)

• अवतीर्य: having descended
• अवतीर्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + तॄ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘having descended’

• उर्व्याम्: on the earth
• उर्व्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उर्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• धर्मस्य: of dharma, of righteousness
• धर्मस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुरुते: does, establishes
• कुरुते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• स्थितिम्: stability, establishment
• स्थितिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda

Avatara Context

Purpose: He descends repeatedly, by a partial manifestation, to secure the welfare of the world by establishing dharma on earth.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Stability and continuance of dharma in the terrestrial realm

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Supreme, immanent in all beings and pervading the universe, repeatedly assumes partial descents to uphold dharma for the world’s good.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: See dharma as sustained by divine grace; align personal duty with the larger welfare (loka-saṅgraha) and seek the Lord as indwelling guide.

Vishishtadvaita: Antaryāmin immanence (‘sarvātmā’) together with transcendence and voluntary avatāra—core to qualified non-dualism’s God-world relation.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Dharma
• Earth (Urvi)

FAQs

What is the significance of Vishnu descending with a “small portion” (svalpāṁśa) in the Vishnu Purana?

It teaches that the Supreme Lord remains infinite and unchanged, yet manifests a limited measure of His power in avatāras to protect the world and restore dharma.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Vishnu’s role in maintaining universal order?

Parāśara presents Vishnu as both immanent (sarvātman, jaganmaya) and sovereign, who periodically appears on earth to stabilize dharma for the good of all beings.

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

Vishnu is affirmed as the Supreme Reality who pervades the cosmos and actively governs it—restoring righteousness through avatāra while remaining the ultimate, all-containing Lord.