Shloka 45

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

Devanagari script

यथाग्निर् एको बहुधा समिध्यते विकारभेदैर् अविकाररूपः तथा भवान् सर्वगतैकरूपो रूपाण्य् अनेकान्य् अनुपुष्यतीशः

Transliteration

yathāgnir eko bahudhā samidhyate vikārabhedair avikārarūpaḥ tathā bhavān sarvagataikarūpo rūpāṇy anekāny anupuṣyatīśaḥ

Translation

Just as fire is one, yet is kindled in many ways—appearing as diverse through different conditions, while its own nature remains unchanged—so too are You: the one Lord who pervades all, ever of a single essence, sustaining and animating many forms without ceasing to be the sovereign One.

Word by Word

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction/adverb), उपमानार्थे ‘as, just as’

• अग्निः: fire
• अग्निः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• बहुधा: in many ways
• बहुधा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), अर्थे: ‘in many ways, variously’

• समिध्यते: is kindled, blazes
• समिध्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्ग: सम्-

• विकारभेदैः: by differences of modifications
• विकारभेदैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकार-भेद (प्रातिपदिक; विकार + भेद)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन

• अविकाररूपः: of unchanging nature
• अविकाररूपः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-विकार-रूप (प्रातिपदिक; विकार + रूप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वपद (unchanging in form)

• तथा: so, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (correlative adverb), अर्थे: ‘so, in the same way’

• भवान्: you (Lord)
• भवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; आदरार्थक ‘you’

• सर्वगतैकरूपः: all-pervading and one-formed
• सर्वगतैकरूपः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वगत-एक-रूप (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वगत + एक + रूप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थः: सर्वत्र गतः सन् एकरूपः

• रूपाणि: forms
• रूपाणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• अनेकानि: many
• अनेकानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण of रूपाणि

• अनुपुष्यति: nourishes, sustains
• अनुपुष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पुष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्ग: अनु-

• ईशः: the Lord
• ईशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Like one fire appearing many through differing conditions while remaining unchanged, the Lord is one, all-pervading, and sustains many forms without losing His single sovereign essence.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: See diversity without losing sight of unity: honor varied paths and beings as supported by one Lord; practice non-reactive steadiness amid changing conditions.

Vishishtadvaita: Distinguishes immutable divine essence from mutable manifested forms—compatible with Vishishtadvaita’s real plurality dependent on the one unchanging Brahman (śeṣi) sustaining all (śeṣa).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of the fire analogy in the Vishnu Purana?

It explains how the Lord can appear in many forms and functions in the world while remaining essentially unchanged—one reality expressed through many conditions.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Lord’s presence in all beings and forms?

He presents Vishnu as sarvagata (all-pervading) and eka-rūpa (one in essence), who nevertheless sustains innumerable forms as their inner support.

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

Vishnu is affirmed as the sovereign sustainer of the universe—immanent in all diversity yet transcending change—supporting later Vaishnava readings of the Supreme as both beyond and within creation.