Shloka 12

गर्भ-व्यवस्था, देवकी-गर्भ-स्तुति (गर्भस्तुतिः), जगदन्तर्गत-हरि-प्रतिपादनम्

Devanagari script

ग्रहर्क्षतारकागर्भा द्यौर् अस्याखिलहैतुकी एता विभूतयो देवि तथान्याश् च सहस्रशः

Transliteration

graharkṣatārakāgarbhā dyaur asyākhilahaitukī etā vibhūtayo devi tathānyāś ca sahasraśaḥ

Translation

The heavens—womb to planets, lunar mansions, and stars—stand as the all-pervading causal ground of this manifest world. These are His manifestations, O Goddess; and countless others besides, by the thousandfold.

Word by Word

• ग्रहर्क्षतारकागर्भा: containing planets, stars, and constellations
• ग्रहर्क्षतारकागर्भा: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + तारका (प्रातिपदिक) + गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (ग्रह + ऋक्ष + तारका) इति द्वन्द्वः (समाहार/इतरेतर) + गर्भा (तत्पुरुष-भावः: तेषां गर्भः यस्याः) — feminine nominative singular adjective

• द्यौः: the sky; heaven
• द्यौः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (क्वचित् पुंलिङ्ग-प्रयोगः), प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — nominative singular

• अस्या: of her; of this (goddess)
• अस्या: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन — genitive singular pronoun

• अखिलहैतुकी: the universal cause; cause of all
• अखिलहैतुकी: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक) + हैतुकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अखिला च सा हैतुकी च) — feminine nominative singular adjective

• एताः: these
• एताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — nominative plural

• विभूतयः: manifestations; powers
• विभूतयः: Pratijñā/Predicate nominative (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभूति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — nominative plural

• देवि: O goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन — vocative singular

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• अन्याः: others
• अन्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — nominative plural

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सहस्रशः: by the thousand; in thousands
• सहस्रशः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) — प्रकार/परिमाणवाचक

Speaker

Sage Parasara (in discourse, addressing Maitreya; vocative 'devi' reflects the verse’s direct address style in the tradition)

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas (worlds)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: As Krishna, the Supreme is praised through cosmic manifestations—heaven as the womb of planets, constellations, and stars—revealing his vibhūtis pervading the cosmos.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Cosmic order: the intelligible structure of the heavens as an expression of divine power.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The ordered heavens and their luminaries are vibhūtis—manifest powers—grounded in the Supreme as the pervasive causal basis of the world.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Use the contemplation of cosmic order (night sky, cycles) as a gateway to devotion and humility before the divine source.

Vishishtadvaita: The cosmos is a real body of the Lord (śarīra-śarīrin relation): many vibhūtis, one indwelling ruler.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Heavens (Dyau)
• Planets (Graha)
• Nakshatras (Rksha)
• Stars (Taraka)
• Vishnu (implied as the source of vibhutis)

FAQs

What is the significance of the heavens being described as containing planets, nakshatras, and stars in the Vishnu Purana?

It frames the sky/heavens as a structured cosmic domain and, more importantly, as part of the Lord’s ordered manifestation—supporting the idea that cosmic arrangement is not random but rooted in divine sovereignty.

How does Sage Parasara explain the concept of vibhuti (divine manifestation) here?

He presents visible cosmic realities—heaven, planets, constellations, and stars—as examples of the Lord’s vibhutis, then extends the point by stating that there are innumerable other manifestations beyond what is listed.

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

Vishnu is implied as the ultimate causal foundation and sustaining power behind the cosmos; the verse supports a Vaishnava metaphysics where the universe is real, ordered, and dependent on the Supreme Reality.