Shloka 13
Cosmic Appointments, Viṣṇu’s Vibhūtis, Fourfold Operation, and the Symbolism of Ornaments and Weapons
तैर् इयं पृथिवी सर्वा सप्तद्वीपा सकानना यथाप्रदेशम् अद्यापि धर्मतः परिपाल्यते
tair iyaṃ pṛthivī sarvā saptadvīpā sakānanā yathāpradeśam adyāpi dharmataḥ paripālyate
Por ellos, toda esta Tierra—con sus siete continentes y sus bosques—ha sido protegida, hasta el día de hoy, en cada región conforme a la norma del Dharma.
Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)
FAQs
This verse frames political power as legitimate only when it protects the Earth in alignment with dharma, maintaining order across all regions and peoples.
He emphasizes that protection and administration must be suited to each locality, yet always rooted in dharma—suggesting a universal ethic applied with regional discernment.
Although not named in the verse, the Vishnu Purana’s theology treats such dharmic preservation of the world as ultimately grounded in Vishnu’s role as the Supreme Sustainer, expressed through rightful rulers.