Shloka 24

Devanagari script

प्रांशुम् उत्तुङ्गबाह्वंसं विकासिमुखपङ्कजम् मेघमालापरिवृतं कैलासाद्रिम् इवापरम्

Transliteration

prāṃśum uttuṅgabāhvaṃsaṃ vikāsimukhapaṅkajam meghamālāparivṛtaṃ kailāsādrim ivāparam

Translation

Lofty in stature, with magnificently raised and powerful arms, and with a lotus-like face in full bloom—he appeared, encircled by wreaths of clouds, like another Mount Kailāsa itself.

Word by Word

• प्रांशुम्: tall, lofty
• प्रांशुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रांशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘दीर्घम्/उन्नतम्’

• उत्तुङ्गबाह्वंसम्: with lofty arms and shoulders
• उत्तुङ्गबाह्वंसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तुङ्ग-बाहु-अंस (प्रातिपदिक; उत्तुङ्ग + बाहु + अंस)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय—‘उत्तुङ्गौ बाहू अंसौ च यस्य’ इति भावः

• विकासिमुखपङ्कजम्: with a blooming lotus-like face
• विकासिमुखपङ्कजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विकासि-मुख-पङ्कज (प्रातिपदिक; विकासि + मुख + पङ्कज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय—‘विकासि पङ्कजवत् मुखम्’

• मेघमालापरिवृतम्: surrounded by a garland of clouds
• मेघमालापरिवृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेघ-माला-परिवृत (प्रातिपदिक; मेघ + माला + परि-वृत(क्त))
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषभावः—‘मेघमालया परिवृतम्’

• कैलासाद्रिम्: Mount Kailāsa
• कैलासाद्रिम्: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैलास-अद्रि (प्रातिपदिक; कैलास + अद्रि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय—‘कैलास एव अद्रिः’

• इव: like, as
• इव: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक (comparative particle)

• अपरम्: another, a second
• अपरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘अन्यं/द्वितीयम्’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya in the Vishnu Purana’s main dialogue frame)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: majestic, imagistic

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To appear in the world with irresistible divine majesty, empowering the righteous and subduing adharma.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Assurance of protection and righteous strength embodied in the Lord’s presence

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Characters & Entities

• Kailāsa
• Clouds (megha)

FAQs

What is the significance of comparing a person to Mount Kailāsa in the Vishnu Purana?

Kailāsa functions as a symbol of unshakable grandeur and sacred eminence; the verse uses it to convey towering presence, auspicious beauty, and near-divine majesty.

How does Sage Parāśara explain royal greatness in this passage?

Through classical Sanskrit lakṣaṇā and upamā (suggestion and simile): physical loftiness, powerful arms, and a lotus-like face are framed with cosmic imagery (cloud-garlands) to signal sovereignty and auspicious rule.

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

Even in dynastic descriptions, the Purana’s worldview treats worldly splendor as derivative—royal excellence and order are meaningful insofar as they reflect the divinely sustained dharma upheld ultimately by Vishnu as the supreme ground of cosmic sovereignty.