Shloka 142

Devanagari script

देवत्वे देवदेहेयं मनुष्यत्वे च मानुषी विष्णोर् देहानुरूपां वै करोत्य् एषात्मनस् तनुम्

Transliteration

devatve devadeheyaṃ manuṣyatve ca mānuṣī viṣṇor dehānurūpāṃ vai karoty eṣātmanas tanum

Translation

Khi cần biểu lộ thần tính, đây trở thành thân thể của chư thiên; khi cần biểu lộ nhân tính, đây trở thành thân thể loài người. Như vậy, Viṣṇu—tùy theo cách nhập thể cần thiết—tự tạo cho mình một hình tướng tương xứng với trạng thái ấy.

Word by Word

• देवत्वे: in divinity
• देवत्वे: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• देवदेहा: having a divine body
• देवदेहा: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement/कर्तृसमानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देव + देह (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (देवः देहः यस्याः/देवदेहा) विशेषण

• इयम्: this (she)
• इयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (सर्वनाम/pronoun)

• मनुष्यत्वे: in humanity
• मनुष्यत्वे: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्यत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

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

• मानुषी: human (female)
• मानुषी: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement/कर्तृसमानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुषी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• देहानुरूपाम्: corresponding to (his) bodies
• देहानुरूपाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देह + अनुरूप (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (देहानाम् अनुरूपा) विशेषण

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निश्चयार्थक/particle: indeed)

• करोति: makes, assumes
• करोति: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• एषा: this (she)
• एषा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (सर्वनाम/pronoun)

• आत्मनः: of herself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• तनुम्: body, form
• तनुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How the Lord’s embodiment varies appropriately across divine and human modes

Teaching: Philosophical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord assumes forms suited to the intended mode—divine or human—without compromising His sovereignty, by self-willed manifestation.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Hold a disciplined view of the divine: honor the historic human-like avatāra while recognizing the transcendent Lord who freely adopts that form.

Vishishtadvaita: Self-manifested embodiment (arcā/avatāra logic) supports a personal Brahman who is transcendent yet truly present in accessible forms.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of Vishnu taking different forms in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse states that Vishnu freely assumes a form suited to the realm—divine among gods, human among humans—showing avatāra as a deliberate, sovereign manifestation rather than a forced embodiment.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the concept of embodiment here?

Parāśara frames embodiment as something Vishnu ‘fashions for Himself’ in accordance with the required mode of existence, preserving the idea that the Lord remains supreme while appearing in appropriate forms.

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

Vishnu is presented as the Supreme Reality who governs and chooses His manifestations, reinforcing a Vaishnava view where divine forms are purposeful (līlā) and uphold cosmic order.