Shloka 56

अर्जुनस्य अन्त्येष्टि, द्वारकाप्लावनम्, कलिप्रवेशः, कालोपदेशः

Devanagari script

नद्यः समुद्रा गिरयः सकला च वसुंधरा देवा मनुष्याः पशवस् तरवः ससरीसृपाः

Transliteration

nadyaḥ samudrā girayaḥ sakalā ca vasuṃdharā devā manuṣyāḥ paśavas taravaḥ sasarīsṛpāḥ

Translation

Rivers and oceans, mountains and the whole earth; gods and human beings; beasts and trees, together with all creeping creatures—each abides within the one all-pervading order of creation, upheld by the Supreme Lord as the Inner Ruler.

Word by Word

• नद्यः: rivers
• नद्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• समुद्राः: oceans
• समुद्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• गिरयः: mountains
• गिरयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सकलाः: all (entire)
• सकलाः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

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

• वसुंधरा: the earth
• वसुंधरा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुंधरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• मनुष्याः: humans
• मनुष्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पशवः: animals
• पशवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तरवः: trees
• तरवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ससरीसृपाः: (and) reptiles/creeping creatures
• ससरीसृपाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स + सरीसृप (प्रातिपदिक); सरीसृप = सृप् (धातु) + णिनि-प्रत्यय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; 'स-' उपसर्गार्थक-पूर्वपद (with)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in discourse to Maitreya)

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: All realms and beings—rivers, oceans, mountains, gods, humans, animals, plants—subsist within the Lord’s all-pervading order as He indwells them as Antaryāmin.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Practice reverence toward all life and nature as God-indwelt; cultivate non-harm and gratitude.

Vishishtadvaita: Strong Antaryāmin doctrine: the world and souls are real and sustained as the Lord’s body (śarīra), expressing qualified non-dualism.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

FAQs

What is the significance of listing rivers, oceans, mountains, and living beings in the Vishnu Purana?

The verse functions as a cosmological inventory, emphasizing that all realms—geographical and biological—belong to one ordered creation under divine governance.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the unity of diverse beings in this context?

By grouping natural features and all classes of life together, Parāśara frames them as parts of a single cosmic system, implicitly dependent on the Supreme sustainer.

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

Even when not named explicitly, the Vishnu Purana’s cosmology presumes Vishnu as the supreme ground and sustainer of all entities, affirming His sovereignty over the entire created order.