Shloka 67

अविद्याबीज-निरूपणं, योगस्वरूप-उपदेशः, मूर्तहरिधारणा-समाधि, जनकवंशीय-राजर्षिसंवादः

Devanagari script

शक्रः समस्तदेवेभ्यस् ततश् चापि प्रजापतिः हिरण्यगर्भो ऽपि ततः पुंसः शक्त्युपलक्षितः

Transliteration

śakraḥ samastadevebhyas tataś cāpi prajāpatiḥ hiraṇyagarbho 'pi tataḥ puṃsaḥ śaktyupalakṣitaḥ

Translation

Śakra (Indra) is foremost among all the gods; beyond him is Prajāpati; and beyond even Prajāpati is Hiraṇyagarbha. Yet all of these are but marks—distinguishing manifestations—of the one Supreme Person, known through His powers.

Word by Word

• शक्रः: Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• समस्त-देवेभ्यः: from all the gods
• समस्त-देवेभ्यः: अपादान (Source/From)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समस्त (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), बहुवचन; समासः—समस्तदेवाः (all the gods) + भ्यस् (abl. pl.)

• ततः: thereafter / from that
• ततः: अधिकरण/सम्बन्ध (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय/तद्-तसिल्)
• Form: अव्यय, तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablative adverb): 'therefrom/then'

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

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

• प्रजापतिः: Prajāpati
• प्रजापतिः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• हिरण्यगर्भः: Hiraṇyagarbha
• हिरण्यगर्भः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्यगर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

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

• ततः: thereafter / from that
• ततः: अधिकरण/सम्बन्ध (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय/तद्-तसिल्)
• Form: अव्यय, तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (therefrom/then)

• पुंसः: of the Person (Puruṣa)
• पुंसः: षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुम्स्/पुंस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• शक्ति-उपलक्षितः: characterized by (his) power
• शक्ति-उपलक्षितः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + उपलक्षित (उप-लक्ष् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (past passive participle): 'marked/characterized by power'

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Supremacy of the one Supreme Person beyond Indra, Prajāpati, and Hiraṇyagarbha

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Kalpa

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas (worlds)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even the highest cosmic rulers—Indra, Prajāpati, and Hiraṇyagarbha—are only distinguishing manifestations (marks) of the one Supreme Person known through His śaktis.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Reorient worship and reliance from limited powers to the Supreme who empowers them, cultivating steadiness in devotion and discernment.

Vishishtadvaita: The Supreme Person is known through real powers and manifestations while remaining the one underlying Lord (śaktimat) behind all devas.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• Prajāpati
• Puruṣa (Supreme Person, identified with Viṣṇu in context)

FAQs

What is the significance of Indra, Prajāpati, and Hiraṇyagarbha being listed in a sequence in the Vishnu Purana?

The sequence presents a graded hierarchy of cosmic offices, showing that even the highest divine administrators ultimately point to a single Supreme Person whose powers manifest as these roles.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Supreme Reality through the idea of śakti (power)?

He indicates that exalted beings like Indra, Prajāpati, and Hiraṇyagarbha are recognizable as functions or expressions of the Puruṣa’s śakti—His operative energies—rather than independent ultimate realities.

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

The verse reinforces a Vaishnava metaphysics where Viṣṇu as the Supreme Person underlies and surpasses all divine ranks, with gods and creator-functions serving as manifestations of His sovereign power.