Shloka 12

श्रीकृष्ण-जन्म, वसुदेव-यमुनातरण, बालिका-उत्क्षेपः, देवी-प्रादुर्भावः

Devanagari script

यो ऽनन्तरूपो ऽखिलविश्वरूपो गर्भे ऽपि लोकान् वपुषा बिभर्ति प्रसीदताम् एष स देवदेवः स्वमाययाविष्कृतबालरूपः

Transliteration

yo 'nantarūpo 'khilaviśvarūpo garbhe 'pi lokān vapuṣā bibharti prasīdatām eṣa sa devadevaḥ svamāyayāviṣkṛtabālarūpaḥ

Translation

May He be gracious—He, the God of gods: the One of endless forms, whose very being is the form of the entire universe; who, even while abiding within the womb, upholds the worlds by His own body; who, by His own māyā, has manifested the appearance of an infant.

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• अनन्तरूपः: of endless forms
• अनन्तरूपः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त-रूप (प्रातिपदिक; अनन्त + रूप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अनन्तं रूपं यस्य/अनन्तरूपः)

• अखिलविश्वरूपः: whose form is the entire universe
• अखिलविश्वरूपः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल-विश्व-रूप (प्रातिपदिक; अखिल + विश्व + रूप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अखिलं विश्वं रूपं यस्य/अखिलविश्वरूपः)

• गर्भे: in the womb
• गर्भे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: even/also)

• लोकान्: worlds
• लोकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• वपुषा: by (his) body/form
• वपुषा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• बिभर्ति: bears/supports
• बिभर्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भृ (√भृ धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रसीदताम्: may (he) be gracious
• प्रसीदताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-सीद् (√सीद् धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; आशीर्लिङ्गार्थे (let him be gracious)

• एषः: this (one)
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सः: he
• सः: Apposition (Samanadhikarana/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• देवदेवः: god of the gods
• देवदेवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-देव (प्रातिपदिक; देव + देव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानां देवः)

• स्वमायया: by his own māyā
• स्वमायया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-माया (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + माया)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (स्वा माया)

• आविष्कृतबालरूपः: whose child-form is manifested
• आविष्कृतबालरूपः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आविष्कृत-बाल-रूप (प्रातिपदिक; आविष्कृत + बाल + रूप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (आविष्कृतं बालरूपं यस्य)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya; hymn-like praise within the creation discourse)

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To manifest as an infant by His own māyā while remaining the cosmic support of all worlds, enabling His salvific līlā on earth.

Leela: Bala

Dharma Restored: Assurance that the cosmic Lord sustains the universe even while appearing limited, safeguarding dharma through līlā.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Supreme is ananta-rūpa and viśva-rūpa, sustaining all lokas even while apparently confined to a womb by His own māyā.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Hold together devotion and metaphysical vision: see the Divine as both near (personal) and all-pervading (cosmic) in daily life.

Vishishtadvaita: Qualified non-dualism is implied: the universe is upheld in/through His body (śarīra-śarīrī-bhāva), while He freely manifests a finite child-form.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Devadeva, the Supreme Lord)
• Maya (divine power)

FAQs

What is the significance of Vishnu being described as both infinite-formed and universe-formed in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents Vishnu as simultaneously transcendent (endless forms) and immanent (the universe as His form), grounding creation in a single Supreme Lord who pervades and surpasses all.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Lord’s appearance as an infant while sustaining the worlds?

Parāśara frames the infant form as a manifestation through the Lord’s own māyā—an appearance chosen by the Supreme, while His cosmic sovereignty remains unchanged and all worlds are still upheld by Him.

What is the theological importance of calling Vishnu 'Devadeva' in this context?

Calling Him 'God of gods' establishes Vishnu’s supremacy over all divine beings and cosmic functions, making Him the ultimate source and sustainer within the creation narrative.