Shloka 56

Devanagari script

त्वं ब्रह्मा पशुपतिर् अर्यमा विधाता धाता त्वं त्रिदशपतिः समीरणो ऽग्निः तोयेशो धनपतिर् अन्तकस् त्वम् एको भिन्नार्थैर् जगद् अभिपासि शक्तिभेदैः

Transliteration

tvaṃ brahmā paśupatir aryamā vidhātā dhātā tvaṃ tridaśapatiḥ samīraṇo 'gniḥ toyeśo dhanapatir antakas tvam eko bhinnārthair jagad abhipāsi śaktibhedaiḥ

Translation

你是梵天；你是兽主（湿婆）；你是阿利耶曼；你是造作者与维持者。你是诸天之主；你是风；你是火；你是水之主；你是财富之主；你是安多迦——终结者。你虽为一，却以自性神力（śakti）的多种差别、各具功用与义趣，护持并统御宇宙。

Word by Word

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Predicative (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (ब्रह्मा-रूप)

• paśupatiḥ: Lord of creatures (Śiva)
• paśupatiḥ: Predicative (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paśu (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः ('पशूनां पतिः')

• aryamā: Aryaman (a deity)
• aryamā: Predicative (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aryaman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• vidhātā: the ordainer
• vidhātā: Predicative (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• dhātā: the sustainer
• dhātā: Predicative (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• tridaśa-patiḥ: lord of the gods (Indra)
• tridaśa-patiḥ: Predicative (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tridaśa (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः ('त्रिदशानां पतिः')

• samīraṇaḥ: wind
• samīraṇaḥ: Predicative (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samīraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• agniḥ: fire
• agniḥ: Predicative (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• toya-īśaḥ: lord of waters (Varuṇa)
• toya-īśaḥ: Predicative (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: toya (प्रातिपदिक) + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः ('तोयस्य ईशः')

• dhana-patiḥ: lord of wealth (Kubera)
• dhana-patiḥ: Predicative (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhana (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः ('धनस्य पतिः')

• antakaḥ: Death (Yama)
• antakaḥ: Predicative (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• ekaḥ: one
• ekaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of tvam)

• bhinna-arthaiḥ: by differentiated meanings/forms
• bhinna-arthaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhinna (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः ('भिन्नाः अर्थाः')

• jagat: the world
• jagat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• abhipāsi: you protect/oversee
• abhipāsi: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi√pā (पा)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• śakti-bhedaiḥ: by divisions of power
• śakti-bhedaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक) + bheda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः ('शक्तीनां भेदैः')

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya; verse presented as a hymn identifying Vishnu’s all-pervading sovereignty)

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas (worlds)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The one Lord governs the universe by manifesting as multiple cosmic offices—Brahmā, Śiva, Indra, Vāyu, Agni, Varuṇa, Kubera, Yama—through differentiated functions of His own śakti.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Honor diverse divine functions without sectarian rivalry: see all legitimate cosmic powers as dependent expressions of the one Supreme and align worship toward Him.

Vishishtadvaita: Integrative theism: many deities as functional modes/empowered offices within the Lord’s sovereignty (śakti-bhedaiḥ), preserving unity without denying plurality.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Brahma
• Shiva (Paśupati)
• Aryaman
• Vidhātṛ
• Dhātṛ
• Indra (as Tridaśapati)
• Vayu (Samīraṇa)
• Agni
• Varuna (Toyeśa)
• Kubera (Dhanapati)
• Antaka (Yama/Rudra aspect)

FAQs

What is the significance of describing many gods as one in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse teaches that diverse deities are functional expressions of a single Supreme Lord—Vishnu—who governs the cosmos through differentiated powers (śakti-bheda).

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine administration of the universe here?

He presents cosmic administration as one Lord’s unified rule expressed through distinct offices—creation (Brahmā), dissolution (Antaka), elemental forces (Vāyu, Agni), and guardianship (Varuṇa, Kubera, Indra).

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

Vishnu is affirmed as the Supreme Reality: not merely one god among others, but the single source whose real powers appear as multiple divine roles to protect and sustain the world.