Shloka 21

Devanagari script

सविलासस्मिताधारं बिभ्राणं मुखपङ्कजम् तुङ्गरक्तनखं पद्भ्यां धरण्यां सुप्रतिष्ठितम्

Transliteration

savilāsasmitādhāraṃ bibhrāṇaṃ mukhapaṅkajam tuṅgaraktanakhaṃ padbhyāṃ dharaṇyāṃ supratiṣṭhitam

Translation

He bears a lotus-like face, resting in a gentle, playful smile; and with lofty feet—whose nails glow red—He stands firmly established upon the earth, the Supreme made present and steady within the world.

Word by Word

• सविलासस्मिताधारम्: having a support/basis of playful smile
• सविलासस्मिताधारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-विलास-स्मित-आधार (प्रातिपदिक; विलास + स्मित + आधार)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘आधार’ इति प्रधान, ‘सविलासस्मित’ इति विशेषणसमासः

• बिभ्राणम्: bearing, holding
• बिभ्राणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भृ (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी; ‘धारयन्’ इत्यर्थः

• मुखपङ्कजम्: lotus-like face
• मुखपङ्कजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख-पङ्कज (प्रातिपदिक; मुख + पङ्कज)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय—‘पङ्कजं मुखम्’ (lotus-like face)

• तुङ्गरक्तनखम्: with high/raised, red nails
• तुङ्गरक्तनखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुङ्ग-रक्त-नख (प्रातिपदिक; तुङ्ग + रक्त + नख)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘उन्नत-रक्त-नखयुक्तम्’

• पद्भ्याम्: with (his) two feet
• पद्भ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), द्विवचन

• धरण्याम्: on the earth/ground
• धरण्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• सुप्रतिष्ठितम्: well-established, firmly set
• सुप्रतिष्ठितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-प्रतिष्ठित (प्रातिपदिक; प्रति-स्था धातोः क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘सु’ उपसर्गयुक्तम्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: reverential, rasa-rich description

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To lighten the earth’s burden by destroying adharmic rulers and re-establishing dharma through divine presence among the Yādavas.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Stability of dharma on earth through the Lord’s manifest protection and righteous order

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Earth (Dharani)

FAQs

What is the significance of Vishnu’s lotus-like face and gentle smile in the Vishnu Purana?

It presents the Lord’s auspicious, compassionate sovereignty—His beauty is not merely aesthetic but a sign of grace that steadies the devotee’s mind in meditation.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the purpose of describing Vishnu’s form here?

As a dhyāna-description: Parāśara offers concrete attributes (face, smile, feet) so the seeker can contemplate the Supreme with devotion and steadiness.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu being “firmly established on the earth” in this context?

It conveys immanence: the transcendent Supreme also abides within and supports the world-order, grounding dharma and cosmic stability.