Shloka 14

Cosmic Appointments, Viṣṇu’s Vibhūtis, Fourfold Operation, and the Symbolism of Ornaments and Weapons

Devanagari script

एते सर्वे प्रवृत्तस्य स्थितौ विष्णोर् महात्मनः विभूतिभूता राजानो ये चान्ये मुनिसत्तम

Transliteration

ete sarve pravṛttasya sthitau viṣṇor mahātmanaḥ vibhūtibhūtā rājāno ye cānye munisattama

Translation

Ó melhor dos sábios, todos estes reis—e também os demais—são apenas manifestações das potências gloriosas do magnânimo Viṣṇu, que pôs o mundo em movimento e permanece como a ordem que o sustenta.

Word by Word

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम् (these)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (agreeing with एते/राजानः)

• प्रवृत्तस्य: of (him) who is active/engaged
• प्रवृत्तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + वृत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √वृत्)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचनम्; पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे; भूतकृदन्त-रूपम् (past participle used adjectivally): ‘of the active/engaged (one)’

• स्थितौ: in (his) sustaining state
• स्थितौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचनम् (locative singular)

• विष्णोः: of Vishnu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी, एकवचनम् (genitive singular)

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled
• महात्मनः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (of the great-souled)

• विभूतिभूताः: become manifestations (of him)
• विभूतिभूताः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विभूति (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √भू)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुष-समासः (विभूतिरूपेण भूताः = having become manifestations)

• राजानः: kings
• राजानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम् (nominative plural)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम् (others)

• मुनिसत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनिसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (मुनिषु सत्तमः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Kings
• Sages (Munis)

FAQs

What is the significance of calling kings 'vibhūtis' of Vishnu in the Vishnu Purana?

It frames political sovereignty as derivative—kings rule effectively only as expressions of Vishnu’s sustaining power, not as independent ultimate authorities.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the relationship between pravṛtti (worldly activity) and sthiti (preservation)?

He presents Vishnu as the one who initiates the world-process (pravṛtti) and simultaneously remains present as the stabilizing order (sthiti) that upholds it.

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

Vishnu is affirmed as the Supreme Reality whose divine potency appears as governance and order in the world, aligning worldly hierarchy with cosmic preservation.