Shloka 29

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

Devanagari script

त्वया धृतेयं धरणी बिभर्ति चराचरं विश्वम् अनन्तमूर्ते कृतादिभेदैर् अज कालरूपो निमेषपूर्वो जगद् एतद् अत्सि

Transliteration

tvayā dhṛteyaṃ dharaṇī bibharti carācaraṃ viśvam anantamūrte kṛtādibhedair aja kālarūpo nimeṣapūrvo jagad etad atsi

Translation

O Vishnu of endless forms—because You uphold her, the Earth can bear the entire universe, the moving and the unmoving. Unborn, You assume the form of Time and, through the divisions beginning with the Kṛta age, You measure out the moments; in the end, You consume this whole world.

Word by Word

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• धृता: supported/held
• धृता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle) ‘धृत’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘held/supported’ (agreeing with धरणी)

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

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

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

• चराचरम्: moving and unmoving
• चराचरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चर + अचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; द्वन्द्वः: चर + अचर (moving and unmoving)

• विश्वम्: universe
• विश्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• अनन्तमूर्ते: O one of infinite forms
• अनन्तमूर्ते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्त + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (vocative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: यस्य अनन्ताः मूर्तयः सः

• कृतादिभेदैः: by distinctions such as Kṛta (yuga) etc.
• कृतादिभेदैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत + आदि + भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; समासः: कृत-आदि-भेद (differences such as Kṛta etc. yugas)

• अज: O unborn one
• अज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (vocative), एकवचन; ‘unborn’ as epithet

• कालरूपः: having time as (your) form
• कालरूपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: यस्य कालः रूपम् सः / or कर्मधारयार्थे ‘कालरूपः’ (time-formed)

• निमेषपूर्वः: beginning with a blink (as unit of time)
• निमेषपूर्वः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निमेष + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासः: निमेषः पूर्वः यस्य (preceded by a blink / beginning with a blink)

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• अत्सि: you devour
• अत्सि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; √अद् (to eat/devour)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in discourse to Maitreya)

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Kalpa

Yuga: Satya

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Vishnu upholds the Earth and manifests as Time, measuring yugas from Kṛta onward and ultimately consuming the world at dissolution.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Live with yuga-awareness: cultivate dharma and devotion knowing time is sacred governance, not mere decay.

Vishishtadvaita: Time and cosmic order are modes of the Lord’s sovereignty; the world depends on him as inner ruler while remaining real as his body.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Lakshmi Presence: Bhumi

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Earth (Dharani)
• Time (Kala)
• Krita Yuga (and other Yugas)

FAQs

What is the significance of Time (Kāla) in this verse of the Vishnu Purana?

Time is presented as a form assumed by Vishnu: it measures existence through moments and Yuga-divisions and ultimately brings all beings to dissolution.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Yugas here?

He points to the Kṛta and subsequent ages as divine divisions of time—ordered cycles through which Vishnu governs the world’s moral and cosmic rhythm.

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

Vishnu is both the sustainer who enables the earth to bear creation and the Supreme who, as Time, finally reabsorbs the universe—affirming his ultimate sovereignty over being and becoming.