Shloka 18

उपसंहारः, वैष्णवपुराण-प्रशंसा, फलश्रुति, परम्परा-प्रवहः (पाठ-श्रवण-फलम्)

Devanagari script

उत्पत्तिस्थितिनाशानां हेतुर् यो जगतो ऽव्ययः स सर्वभूतः सर्वात्मा कथ्यते भगवान् हरिः

Transliteration

utpattisthitināśānāṃ hetur yo jagato 'vyayaḥ sa sarvabhūtaḥ sarvātmā kathyate bhagavān hariḥ

Translation

He who is the imperishable cause of the world’s arising, continuance, and dissolution—He is present as all beings and is the inner Self of all; He is spoken of as Bhagavān Hari.

Word by Word

उत्पत्तिस्थितिनाशानाम्of (their) creation, maintenance, and destruction

हेतुःthe cause

यःwho

जगतःof the world

अव्ययःimperishable

सःhe

सर्वभूतः(present as) all beings

सर्वात्माthe Self of all

कथ्यतेis said, is called

भगवान्the Blessed Lord

हरिःHari (Vishnu)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Nature of the Supreme as cause of creation, maintenance, and dissolution; His immanence as inner Self

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Kalpa

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda (universe)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Bhagavān Hari is the imperishable cause of origination, continuance, and dissolution, and is the sarvātmā (inner Self) of all beings.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Contemplate the Lord as both the world’s ground and your indwelling Self; cultivate God-centered awareness in all actions and perceptions.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms the Lord’s transcendence (avyaya cause) and immanence (sarvabhūta, sarvātmā), aligning with the world as His body and souls as His modes.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

Hari

FAQs

What is the significance of creation, preservation, and dissolution in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames the entire cosmos as governed by a single imperishable cause—Hari—who stands behind origination (utpatti), continuance (sthiti), and dissolution (nāśa), making these phases expressions of divine sovereignty rather than independent forces.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the concept of sarvātmā here?

Parāśara identifies Hari not only as the external cause of the universe but also as the indwelling Self of all beings (sarvātmā), meaning the divine is present within and as the inner ruler of every living entity.

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

Vishnu (Hari) is presented as Bhagavān—the Supreme Reality endowed with lordly attributes—who is both transcendent (imperishable cause) and immanent (present as all beings), a core Vaishnava foundation for later Vishishtadvaita and Dvaita readings.