Shloka 48

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

Devanagari script

अन्यूनश् चाप्य् अवृद्धिश् च स्वाधीनो ऽनादिमान् वशी क्लमतन्द्रीभयक्रोधकामादिभिर् असंयुतः

Transliteration

anyūnaś cāpy avṛddhiś ca svādhīno 'nādimān vaśī klamatandrībhayakrodhakāmādibhir asaṃyutaḥ

Translation

He is never diminished, nor does He ever increase. Self-ruled and independent, beginningless, and the sovereign controller, He is untouched by fatigue, sloth, fear, anger, desire, and all such limiting conditions.

Word by Word

• anyūnaḥ: not lacking, complete
• anyūnaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-nyūna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नञ्-समास (not deficient)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपि (also, even)

• avṛddhiḥ: unchanging, not increasing
• avṛddhiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-vṛddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नञ्-समास (not subject to increase/growth)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• svādhīnaḥ: self-dependent, autonomous
• svādhīnaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + adhīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (svasya adhīnaḥ = dependent on oneself)

• anādimān: beginningless
• anādimān: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an-ādi-mat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष (anādi = without beginning) + मतुप् (possessing)

• vaśī: self-controlled, masterful
• vaśī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaśin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• klama-tandrī-bhaya-krodha-kāma-ādibhiḥ: by fatigue, drowsiness, fear, anger, desire, etc.
• klama-tandrī-bhaya-krodha-kāma-ādibhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: klama (प्रातिपदिक) + tandrī (प्रातिपदिक) + bhaya (प्रातिपदिक) + krodha (प्रातिपदिक) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व-प्रायः, ‘ādi’ सहित (etc.)

• asaṃyutaḥ: unconnected, untouched
• asaṃyutaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-saṃyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नञ्-समास (not joined/associated)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The Lord’s perfection: changelessness, independence, beginninglessness, and freedom from limiting emotions and defects.

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Supreme Lord is changeless and self-ruled, untouched by fatigue, fear, anger, desire, or any constraining condition that binds finite beings.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Practice devotion with detachment by recognizing emotions as passing states and anchoring attention in the Lord’s steady perfection.

Vishishtadvaita: Distinguishes the Lord’s nirdoṣatva (freedom from defects) from the jīva’s saṃsāric limitations, while allowing real attributes (kalyāṇa-guṇas) in the Supreme.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari (name)

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of Vishnu being described as neither diminished nor increased in the Vishnu Purana?

It establishes Vishnu as the perfect, complete Supreme Reality—unchanging and not subject to material transformation, unlike created beings who grow, decline, or depend on conditions.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine independence in this passage?

By calling the Lord svādhīna (self-ruled) and vaśī (sovereign controller), Parāśara presents God as dependent on nothing and as the ultimate governor of all, rather than a being constrained by karma or circumstance.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu being free from fear, anger, and desire here?

It differentiates the Supreme from embodied life: Vishnu is not bound by emotional or psychological afflictions, reinforcing His transcendence and fitness to be the stable ground of cosmic order and liberation.