Shloka 26

भाण्डीरवट-क्रीडा: प्रलम्बासुरवधः, मानुष्यलीला, एक-कारण-तत्त्वम्

Devanagari script

नभः शिरस् ते ऽम्बुमयी च मूर्तिः पादौ क्षितिर् वक्त्रम् अनन्त वह्निः सोमो मनस् ते श्वसितं समीरो दिशश् चतस्रो ऽव्यय बाहवस् ते

Transliteration

nabhaḥ śiras te 'mbumayī ca mūrtiḥ pādau kṣitir vaktram ananta vahniḥ somo manas te śvasitaṃ samīro diśaś catasro 'vyaya bāhavas te

Translation

The sky is Your head, and Your form is of water; the earth is Your feet, and Your mouth is the boundless fire. The moon is Your mind, the wind Your very breath; and the four directions are Your imperishable arms, O Undecaying One.

Word by Word

• नभः: sky
• नभः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नभस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• ते: your
• ते: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (your/of you)

• अम्बुमयी: watery
• अम्बुमयी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अम्बु + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः: अम्बुमयी = अम्बु-मयी (water-made)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• मूर्तिः: form, embodiment
• मूर्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• पादौ: (your) two feet
• पादौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), द्विवचन

• क्षितिः: earth
• क्षितिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• वक्त्रम्: face, mouth
• वक्त्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• अनन्त: Ananta (the infinite one)
• अनन्त: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; संबोधनार्थे/नाम (Ananta)

• वह्निः: fire
• वह्निः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• सोमः: Soma/moon
• सोमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• ते: your
• ते: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• श्वसितम्: breath
• श्वसितम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वसित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘breath’ (noun from √श्वस्)

• समीरो: wind
• समीरो: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समीरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• दिशः: directions
• दिशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• चतस्रः: four
• चतस्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण (four)

• अव्यय: O imperishable
• अव्यय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण/सम्बोधन (O imperishable)

• बाहवः: arms
• बाहवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• ते: your
• ते: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: All elements and directions are the Lord’s body, teaching divine immanence without diminishing transcendence.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Practice seeing nature and space itself as sacred—cultivating reverence, restraint, and non-violence as worship.

Vishishtadvaita: The universe is the Lord’s śarīra (body) while He remains the indwelling Self (antaryāmin) who supports and pervades it.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Soma (Moon)
• Agni (Fire)
• Vayu (Wind)
• Dik (Directions)
• Prithivi (Earth)
• Nabhas (Sky)

FAQs

What is the significance of describing the universe as Vishnu’s body in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents a Virat (cosmic) vision where all elements and directions are limbs of Vishnu, teaching that the cosmos is sustained and pervaded by the Supreme Lord rather than existing independently.

How does Sage Parashara explain the relation between the elements and the Supreme?

Parashara identifies major cosmic principles—sky, water, earth, fire, moon-mind, wind-breath, and the directions—as functions of Vishnu’s own being, emphasizing divine immanence along with transcendence.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here for Vaishnava philosophy?

Vishnu is portrayed as the imperishable ground of reality: the elements are not ultimate, but expressions of His sovereignty—supporting a devotional and metaphysical view where the world is dependent on the Lord.