Shloka 31

Kālayavana’s Rise, Dvārakā’s Founding, and Muchukunda’s Awakening (Śaraṇāgati & Brahman-Stuti)

Devanagari script

त्वं पयोनिधयः शैलाः सरितस् त्वं वनानि च मेदिनी गगनं वायुर् आपो ऽग्निस् त्वं तथा मनः

Transliteration

tvaṃ payonidhayaḥ śailāḥ saritas tvaṃ vanāni ca medinī gaganaṃ vāyur āpo 'gnis tvaṃ tathā manaḥ

Translation

You are the oceans and the mountain ranges; you are the rivers and the forests. You are the earth, the sky, the wind; you are the waters and the fire—and you are the mind itself.

Word by Word

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पयोनिधयः: oceans (treasuries of water)
• पयोनिधयः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस् + निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘पयसो निधयः’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• शैलाः: mountains
• शैलाः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सरितः: rivers
• सरितः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वनानि: forests
• वनानि: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• मेदिनी: earth
• मेदिनी: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेदिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गगनम्: sky
• गगनम्: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गगन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वायुः: wind
• वायुः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आपः: waters
• आपः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (बहुवचन-प्रयोग), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अग्निः: fire
• अग्निः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तथा: also/thus
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारार्थक

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya; the verse is part of a stuti describing Vishnu’s all-pervasiveness)

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He is praised as the all-pervading reality in whom the elements, earth, and mind subsist, revealing his immanence while he protects the world.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Right vision of the Lord’s pervasion of nature and inner life, countering materialistic or separatist notions.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord is immanent as the substance and controller of the cosmos—oceans, mountains, elements, and even mind—yet remains the supreme reality.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Contemplate the divine presence in nature and in one’s own mind; practice mindful devotion that sanctifies daily perception.

Vishishtadvaita: Strong Viśiṣṭādvaita signature: the universe and minds are real modes (prakāra) of Brahman, with the Lord as antaryāmin and jagat-kāraṇa.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Lakshmi Presence: Bhumi

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of Vishnu being identified with oceans, mountains, and the elements in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse asserts Vishnu’s immanence: the cosmos is not separate from him, and all natural orders—land, waters, fire, air, and space—subsist as expressions of his sovereignty.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the relationship between God and the world here?

Through a litany of identifications (“you are…”), Parāśara teaches that Vishnu pervades and supports the entire manifest world, including the inner faculty of mind, making him both cosmic ground and indwelling presence.

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

Vishnu is presented as the Supreme Reality who is present as the universe itself while remaining the ultimate object of devotion—supporting a Vaishnava vision in which the world is real and sustained by the Lord.