Shloka 67

अविद्याबीज-निरूपणं, योगस्वरूप-उपदेशः, मूर्तहरिधारणा-समाधि, जनकवंशीय-राजर्षिसंवादः

Devanagari script

शक्रः समस्तदेवेभ्यस् ततश् चापि प्रजापतिः हिरण्यगर्भो ऽपि ततः पुंसः शक्त्युपलक्षितः

Transliteration

śakraḥ samastadevebhyas tataś cāpi prajāpatiḥ hiraṇyagarbho 'pi tataḥ puṃsaḥ śaktyupalakṣitaḥ

Translation

ในหมู่เทพทั้งปวง ศักระ (อินทรา) เป็นผู้ประเสริฐ; เหนืออินทราคือ ประชาปติ; และเหนือประชาปติยังมี หิรัณยครรภะ. แต่ทั้งหมดนี้เป็นเพียงเครื่องหมายแห่งพระบุรุษสูงสุดองค์เดียว ผู้ทรงเป็นที่รู้ได้ด้วยพระศักติของพระองค์

Word by Word

शक्रःŚakra (Indra)

समस्त-देवेभ्यःfrom all the gods

ततःthereafter / from that

चand

अपिalso

प्रजापतिःPrajāpati

हिरण्यगर्भःHiraṇyagarbha

अपिalso

ततःthereafter / from that

पुंसःof the Person (Puruṣa)

शक्ति-उपलक्षितःcharacterized by (his) power

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Characters & Entities

Śakra (Indra)

Prajāpati

Puruṣa (Supreme Person, identified with Viṣṇu in context)

FAQs

What is the significance of Indra, Prajāpati, and Hiraṇyagarbha being listed in a sequence in the Vishnu Purana?

The sequence presents a graded hierarchy of cosmic offices, showing that even the highest divine administrators ultimately point to a single Supreme Person whose powers manifest as these roles.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Supreme Reality through the idea of śakti (power)?

He indicates that exalted beings like Indra, Prajāpati, and Hiraṇyagarbha are recognizable as functions or expressions of the Puruṣa’s śakti—His operative energies—rather than independent ultimate realities.

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

The verse reinforces a Vaishnava metaphysics where Viṣṇu as the Supreme Person underlies and surpasses all divine ranks, with gods and creator-functions serving as manifestations of His sovereign power.