Shloka 22

लोकसंस्थानम्, ग्रहदूरी-प्रमाणम्, ब्रह्माण्डावरणानि, विष्णोः जगत्कारणत्वम्

Devanagari script

एतद् अण्डकटाहेन तिर्यक् चोर्ध्वम् अधस् तथा कपित्थस्य यथा बीजं सर्वतो वै समावृतम्

Transliteration

etad aṇḍakaṭāhena tiryak cordhvam adhas tathā kapitthasya yathā bījaṃ sarvato vai samāvṛtam

Translation

ఈ సమస్తం బ్రహ్మాండ అండపు కవచంతో అడ్డంగా, పైగా, కిందగా—అన్ని వైపులా పూర్తిగా ఆవరించబడి ఉంది; కపిత్థ ఫలంలో విత్తనం చుట్టూ కప్పబడి ఉండినట్లుగా।

Word by Word

• एतत्: this (universe/egg)
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; सन्दर्भे कर्म/विषयः

• अण्डकटाहेन: by the egg-like shell/cauldron
• अण्डकटाहेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अण्डकटाह (प्रातिपदिक; अण्ड + कटाह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (अण्डस्य कटाहः)

• तिर्यक्: horizontally
• तिर्यक्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तिर्यक् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक क्रियाविशेषणम् (horizontally)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• ऊर्ध्वम्: upwards
• ऊर्ध्वम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोगः; दिशावाचक क्रियाविशेषणम् (upwards)

• अधः: below, downwards
• अधः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक क्रियाविशेषणम् (downwards/below)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/समुच्चयार्थ (likewise)

• कपित्थस्य: of the wood-apple (kapittha)
• कपित्थस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपित्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• यथा: as, like
• यथा: Upamana (Comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक (comparative particle)

• बीजम्: seed
• बीजम्: Upameya (Standard of comparison/उपमेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• सर्वतः: on all sides
• सर्वतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय; सर्व + तस्)
• Form: अव्यय; सर्वदिक्-परिमाणवाचक (from all sides)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/खल्वर्थक निपात (indeed)

• समावृतम्: enclosed, covered all around
• समावृतम्: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आवृ (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि ("is enclosed")

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How the brahmāṇḍa is enclosed on all sides by its shell, illustrated by the kapittha seed analogy

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: illustrative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The cosmos is not infinite in extension within its own frame; it is enclosed and bounded like a seed within a fruit, indicating layered containment.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Practice ‘cosmic perspective’ meditation: visualize the universe as contained and governed, reducing anxiety and fostering surrender to the divine order.

Vishishtadvaita: Containment imagery coheres with the Lord as the all-encompassing support (ādhāra): the universe exists within Him while remaining a real, structured whole.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Brahmāṇḍa (Cosmic Egg)

FAQs

What is the significance of the Brahmāṇḍa (Cosmic Egg) in the Vishnu Purana?

It describes the universe as a structured, bounded reality—enclosed on every side—emphasizing cosmic order rather than a random or uncontained creation.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the universe being enclosed?

He uses a vivid simile: the cosmos is covered in every direction by its shell, like a seed fully surrounded by the fruit of the wood-apple.

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

Even while discussing cosmic mechanics, the Purana frames the ordered universe as existing within the supreme governance of Vishnu, the sustaining ground of all worlds.