Vishnu Purana — Amsha 5 - Krishna Avatara, Shloka 28

श्रीकृष्ण-जन्म, वसुदेव-यमुनातरण, बालिका-उत्क्षेपः, देवी-प्रादुर्भावः

Devanagari script

सर्वस्वभूतो देवानाम् आसीन् मृत्युः पुरा स ते तद् एतत् संप्रधार्याशु क्रियतां हितम् आत्मनः

Transliteration

sarvasvabhūto devānām āsīn mṛtyuḥ purā sa te tad etat saṃpradhāryāśu kriyatāṃ hitam ātmanaḥ

Translation

Pada masa lampau, Maut—seakan menjadi segala-galanya bagi para dewa—pernah berdiri di hadapanmu. Maka renungkanlah hal ini dengan saksama segera, dan lekas lakukan apa yang sungguh membawa kebaikan bagi dirimu.

Word by Word

• सर्वस्वभूतः: all-in-all (as everything)
• सर्वस्वभूतः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वस्व + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सर्वस्वस्य भूतः = ‘as good as everything/totality’)

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• मृत्युः: death
• मृत्युः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता; apposition to मृत्युः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म; object of ‘consider’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; निर्देशक (deictic)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म; appositive object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; निर्देशक

• संप्रधार्य: having duly considered
• संप्रधार्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-प्र-धृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), उपसर्ग: सम्-प्र-; ‘having well considered’

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• क्रियताम्: let it be done
• क्रियताम्: Kriya (क्रिया; injunction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive imperative)

• हितम्: what is beneficial
• हितम्: Karma (कर्म; what is to be done)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; ‘benefit/good’

• आत्मनः: for yourself / of yourself
• आत्मनः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Kṛṣṇa’s descent and the events surrounding his birth amid Kaṃsa’s persecution.

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: compassionate

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To remove the tyrant Kaṃsa and relieve the earth and the Yādavas from his oppression, enabling dharma to flourish.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Moral counsel: turning toward self-welfare through right action rather than cruelty.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Recognize the peril of adharma and act swiftly for true welfare (hita), which lies in abandoning cruelty and aligning with righteousness.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Pause before harmful impulses; choose actions that protect others and reduce karmic harm—seek counsel, cultivate restraint, and correct course early.

Vishishtadvaita: ‘Hita’ is not mere worldly advantage but alignment with the Lord’s moral order; welfare is achieved by conforming the self to dharma under divine sovereignty.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Characters & Entities

• Mṛtyu (Death)
• Devas (gods)

FAQs

What is the significance of Mṛtyu (Death) becoming 'all-in-all' for the gods in the Vishnu Purana?

It emphasizes that even the devas are subject to cosmic law and impermanence; Death functions as an instrument of universal order rather than a merely human fear.

How does Sage Parāśara use this verse to guide ethical or spiritual action?

By urging immediate, careful reflection (saṃpradhārya) and swift pursuit of hita—what truly benefits the self—he frames dharma and spiritual resolve as urgent in a transient cosmos.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Purana’s framework implies that Mṛtyu and all cosmic functions operate under Vishnu’s supreme governance, reinforcing Vishnu as the ultimate ground of order and reality.