Vishnu Purana 5.30.78 — Krishna Avatara, Amsha 5, Adhyaya 30, Shloka 78

स्वर्गगमनम्, अदितिस्तुतिः-मायातत्त्वम्, तथा पारिजात-प्रसङ्गे इन्द्रयुद्धम्

Devanagari script

सकलभुवनसूतिर् मूर्तिर् अस्याणुसूक्ष्मा विदितसकलवेद्यैर् ज्ञायते यस्य नान्यैः तम् अजम् अकृतम् ईशं शाश्वतं स्वेच्छयैनं जगदुपकृतिमर्त्यं को विजेतुं समर्थः

Transliteration

sakalabhuvanasūtir mūrtir asyāṇusūkṣmā viditasakalavedyair jñāyate yasya nānyaiḥ tam ajam akṛtam īśaṃ śāśvataṃ svecchayainaṃ jagadupakṛtimartyaṃ ko vijetuṃ samarthaḥ

Translation

その聖なる御姿より万界は生まれる。御方は原子よりも微細にして、凡眼の及ばぬところに在す。ヴェーダにより知り得る一切を悟った者のみが真に御方を知り、他は知り得ない。生まれず、造られず、常住自在の主は、宇宙の利益のためにのみ行ずる—いかなる凡夫が御方に勝てようか。

Word by Word

• सकलभुवनसूतिḥ: the source of all worlds
• सकलभुवनसूतिḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सकल + भुवन + सूति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भुवनानां सूतिः = all-worlds’ source)

• मूर्तिḥ: form, embodiment
• मूर्तिḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अणुसूक्ष्मा: extremely subtle, minute
• अणुसूक्ष्मा: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अणु + सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अणुश्चासौ सूक्ष्मा च = atomically subtle)

• विदितसकलवेद्यैः: by those who know all that is knowable
• विदितसकलवेद्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विदित (√विद्, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + सकल + वेद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः; तत्पुरुषः (सकलं वेद्यं येन विदितम् तैः = by those who know all knowables)

• ज्ञायते: is known
• ज्ञायते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive)

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negative particle)

• अन्यैः: by others
• अन्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अजम्: unborn
• अजम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अकृतम्: unmade, uncreated
• अकृतम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ईशम्: the Lord
• ईशम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• शाश्वतम्: eternal
• शाश्वतम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• स्वेच्छया: by (his) own will
• स्वेच्छया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य इच्छा = one’s own will)

• एनम्: this one, him
• एनम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद्/इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• जगत्-उपकृति-मर्त्यम्: (him) who acts for the welfare of the world
• जगत्-उपकृति-मर्त्यम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + उपकृति (प्रातिपदिक) + मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (जगतः उपकृतिः यस्य सः मर्त्यः/मर्त्य-रूपः = one whose (purpose) is the benefit of the world / who is (as if) mortal for world’s aid)

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विजेतुम्: to conquer
• विजेतुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जि (धातु) + वि- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), परस्मैपदी-धातु; उद्देश्य/प्रयोजन (to do)

• समर्थः: capable
• समर्थः: Visheshya-predicative (Predicate/विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He manifests among mortals to protect the world and uphold dharma while remaining unconquerable as the eternal Lord.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Recognition of the Lord’s supreme, invincible sovereignty and beneficence (jagat-hita).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The unborn, unmade, eternal Lord—subtler than the atom—is knowable only through Vedic realization and is the ultimate cause acting freely for the world’s welfare.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Contemplate the Lord’s transcendence and causality through scriptural study with disciplined meditation, cultivating humility before divine sovereignty.

Vishishtadvaita: Vishnu is both transcendent (unborn, subtle beyond senses) and the immanent jagat-kāraṇa who acts for loka-saṅgraha.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of describing Vishnu as subtler than an atom in the Vishnu Purana?

It emphasizes that the Supreme is not limited to gross form; Vishnu pervades and transcends creation, remaining too subtle for ordinary perception while still being the source of all worlds.

How does Sage Parāśara explain who can truly know the Lord?

Parāśara states that the Lord is known by those who have realized what the Vedas intend to reveal—implying spiritual realization and discernment—rather than by mere external learning.

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

Vishnu is presented as the unborn, uncreated, eternal Sovereign who acts freely for the good of the cosmos; therefore no mortal power can overcome Him—supporting a strongly theistic vision central to Vaiṣṇava philosophy.