Shloka 81

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

Devanagari script

समकर्णान्तविन्यस्तचारुकर्णविभूषणम् कम्बुग्रीवं सुविस्तीर्णश्रीवत्साङ्कितवक्षसम्

Transliteration

samakarṇāntavinyastacārukarṇavibhūṣaṇam kambugrīvaṃ suvistīrṇaśrīvatsāṅkitavakṣasam

Translation

His lovely ear-ornaments rest evenly to the very ends of His ears; His neck is conch-shaped, and His broad chest bears the mark of Śrīvatsa—revealing the sovereign, auspicious form of the Supreme Lord.

Word by Word

• समकर्णान्तविन्यस्तचारुकर्णविभूषणम्: having beautiful ear-ornaments placed evenly up to the ear-ends
• समकर्णान्तविन्यस्तचारुकर्णविभूषणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (अव्यय) + कर्णान्त (कर्ण+अन्त; प्रातिपदिक) + विन्यस्त (वि+नि+अस्/स्था धातु; कृदन्त) + चारु (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + विभूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (विशेषणसमासः); अर्थतः ‘समकर्णान्ते विन्यस्तं चारु कर्णविभूषणं यस्य’

• कम्बुग्रीवम्: with a conch-like neck
• कम्बुग्रीवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कम्बुग्रीव (कम्बु+ग्रीव; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘कम्बुवत् ग्रीवा यस्य’

• सुविस्तीर्णश्रीवत्साङ्कितवक्षसम्: with a broad chest marked by the Śrīvatsa sign
• सुविस्तीर्णश्रीवत्साङ्कितवक्षसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + विस्तीर्ण (वि+स्तॄ धातु; कृदन्त) + श्रीवत्स (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्कित (अङ्क् धातु; कृदन्त) + वक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (विशेषणसमासः); ‘सुविस्तीर्णं वक्षः, श्रीवत्सेन अङ्कितं’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Means of liberation at the time of dissolution; the practice of Vishnu-dhyana/dharana

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Meditation is supported by visualizing the auspicious bodily marks of the Supreme Lord, such as the Śrīvatsa and conch-like neck.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Use a stable icon (murti/mental image) and gently return attention to specific divine attributes to steady the mind.

Vishishtadvaita: The transcendent Brahman is approachable through a real, auspicious, personal form endowed with attributes (kalyāṇa-guṇas).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of the Śrīvatsa mark in the Vishnu Purana?

In this verse, Śrīvatsa is presented as an auspicious emblem on Vishnu’s chest, signaling His supreme lordship and divine auspiciousness (śrī) as integral to His manifested form.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the nature of Vishnu through physical attributes?

Parāśara describes distinctive, auspicious features—ornaments, conch-like neck, and the Śrīvatsa—using iconography to convey that the Supreme Reality is not formless abstraction alone but also the sovereign Lord with recognizable divine marks.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

The verse emphasizes Vishnu’s supremacy and auspiciousness: His form is portrayed as the authoritative, sacred embodiment of cosmic order, aligning with Vaishnava readings where the Supreme is personal and endowed with auspicious qualities.