Shloka 76

स्वर्गगमनम्, अदितिस्तुतिः-मायातत्त्वम्, तथा पारिजात-प्रसङ्गे इन्द्रयुद्धम्

Devanagari script

न चापि सर्गसंहारस्थितिकर्ताखिलस्य यः जितस्य तेन मे व्रीडा जायते विश्वरूपिणा

Transliteration

na cāpi sargasaṃhārasthitikartākhilasya yaḥ jitasya tena me vrīḍā jāyate viśvarūpiṇā

Translation

And yet, though He is the very One who brings about the creation, dissolution, and steady maintenance of the whole universe—still, that I have been overcome by Him, the All-Formed Lord, fills me with shame.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक — ‘and’

• अपि: even
• अपि: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थक — ‘also/even’

• सर्गसंहारस्थितिकर्ता: the maker of creation, dissolution, and preservation
• सर्गसंहारस्थितिकर्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्ग-संहार-स्थिति-कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक; सर्ग + संहार + स्थिति + कर्तृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘creator of creation, dissolution, and maintenance’

• अखिलस्य: of all
• अखिलस्य: Genitive relation (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचन; विशेषण — ‘of all/entire’

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक — ‘who’

• जितस्य: of the defeated (one)
• जितस्य: Genitive relation (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जि (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन — ‘of (one) conquered/defeated’

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Agent/Instrument (कर्तृ/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया, एकवचन — ‘by him/with that’

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन — ‘my’

• व्रीडा: shame
• व्रीडा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रीडा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• जायते: arises
• जायते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — ‘arises/is born’

• विश्वरूपिणा: by the universal-formed one
• विश्वरूपिणा: Agent/Instrument (कर्तृ/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व-रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक; विश्व + रूपिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — ‘by the one of universal form’

Speaker

A deity or exalted being addressing Vishnu in humility (as narrated by Sage Parāśara to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The theological significance of Indra’s defeat and the Lord’s viśvarūpa status.

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Kalpa

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Krishna is acknowledged as the universal Lord—creator, sustainer, and dissolver—whose victory over the deva-king reveals divine supremacy beyond all ranks.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Recognition of the Lord as sarva-kāraṇa and rightful object of reverence

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Supreme Lord is the agent of creation, maintenance, and dissolution; being ‘overcome’ by Him is not disgrace but the natural order.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Replace egoic comparison with surrender: when checked by reality or dharma, interpret it as a corrective, not a personal diminishment.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms the Lord as both nimitta and upādāna kāraṇa (efficient and material cause) while remaining the personal, victorious ruler—central to Viśiṣṭādvaita.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Viśvarūpa (Cosmic Form)
• Sarga (creation)
• Sthiti (sustenance)
• Saṃhāra (dissolution)

FAQs

What is the significance of sarga, sthiti, and saṃhāra in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents Vishnu as the single sovereign principle behind creation, preservation, and dissolution, framing cosmic processes as functions of the Supreme Lord rather than independent forces.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Vishnu’s universal sovereignty in this context?

Through a narrated confession of defeat and shame before the Viśvarūpa Lord, the teaching emphasizes that even the highest beings are subordinate to Vishnu’s all-encompassing power and cosmic governance.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu being called viśvarūpiṇā here?

Calling Vishnu “viśvarūpiṇā” highlights that the universe is encompassed within His being and manifestation, reinforcing a Vaishnava view of Vishnu as the Supreme Reality who contains and governs all existence.