Shloka 43

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

Devanagari script

त्वं विश्वम् आदिर् भुवनस्य गोप्ता सर्वाणि भूतानि तवान्तराणि यद् भूतभव्यं तद् अणोर् अणीयः पुमांस् त्वम् एकः प्रकृतेः परस्तात्

Transliteration

tvaṃ viśvam ādir bhuvanasya goptā sarvāṇi bhūtāni tavāntarāṇi yad bhūtabhavyaṃ tad aṇor aṇīyaḥ pumāṃs tvam ekaḥ prakṛteḥ parastāt

Translation

You are the universe itself—the primal source and the guardian of all worlds. All beings abide within You. Whatever is past and whatever is yet to come is contained in You; subtler than the subtlest atom, You alone are the one Supreme Person, transcending material Nature (prakṛti).

Word by Word

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विश्वम्: the universe (all)
• विश्वम्: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘the universe’ (as predicate)

• आदिः: origin, beginning
• आदिः: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भुवनस्य: of the world
• भुवनस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• गोप्ता: protector
• गोप्ता: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुप् (धातु) + तृ (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: तृ-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तृवाचक, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सर्वाणि: all
• सर्वाणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण of भूतानि

• भूतानि: beings
• भूतानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• अन्तराणि: within (you), internal
• अन्तराणि: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘within/inside’ (as predicate adjective)

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative)

• भूतभव्यम्: past and future
• भूतभव्यम्: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत-भव्य (प्रातिपदिक; भूत + भव्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (past and future)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तद्-सम्बन्धक (correlative)

• अणोः: than an atom / of the atom
• अणोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अणु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• अणीयः: smaller (than)
• अणीयः: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अणीयस् (प्रातिपदिक; तुलनात्मक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative)

• पुमान्: person, spirit
• पुमान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुमांस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एकः: one
• एकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रकृतेः: of Prakriti (nature)
• प्रकृतेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• परस्तात्: beyond
• परस्तात्: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परस्तात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), अर्थे: ‘beyond, on the farther side’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya; invocatory praise of Vishnu)

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The one Supreme Person is both the source and protector of the universe; all beings and all time (past and future) abide within Him, while He transcends prakṛti.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: View life and history as held within divine providence; cultivate devotion grounded in the Lord’s immanence (as inner ruler) and transcendence (beyond matter).

Vishishtadvaita: Strong antaryāmin-jagat-śarīra motif: beings ‘within’ Him while He remains ‘prakṛteḥ parastāt,’ supporting qualified non-dualism (world as His body, He as inner Self).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of describing Vishnu as both the universe and beyond prakṛti in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents Vishnu as simultaneously immanent (all beings are within Him) and transcendent (beyond material nature), establishing Him as the supreme ground of creation and the ruler of cosmic order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the relationship between the Supreme Person and all beings here?

Parāśara frames all beings as existing within Vishnu, implying an indwelling sovereignty where the Lord contains and supports creation while remaining the single supreme Puruṣa.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu being called 'aṇor aṇīyaḥ' in this context?

Calling Vishnu 'subtler than the subtlest' emphasizes His unconditioned, non-material supremacy—He is not limited by gross matter, yet He pervades and governs it as the ultimate reality.