Shloka 84

आत्यन्तिक-लयहेतुः: तापत्रय-विवेचनम् तथा ‘भगवान्/वासुदेव’ शब्दार्थः

Threefold Suffering and the Path to Final Liberation; Meaning of Bhagavān and Vāsudeva

Devanagari script

समस्तकल्याणगुणात्मको हि स्वशक्तिलेशावृतभूतसर्गः इच्छागृहीताभिमतोरुदेहः संसाधिताशेषजगद्धितो ऽसौ

Transliteration

samastakalyāṇaguṇātmako hi svaśaktileśāvṛtabhūtasargaḥ icchāgṛhītābhimatorudehaḥ saṃsādhitāśeṣajagaddhito 'sau

Translation

祂确是诸吉祥德性的化身。仅以自身威能之一微分，便使一切受造众生之流被覆而运转。唯凭意志，祂取受所喜之广大身相，圆满成就整个宇宙的利益，无有遗余。

Word by Word

• समस्तकल्याणगुणात्मकः: possessed of all auspicious qualities
• समस्तकल्याणगुणात्मकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समस्तकल्याणगुणात्मक (प्रातिपदिक; समस्त + कल्याण + गुण + आत्मक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (यस्मिन् समस्ताः कल्याणगुणाः सन्ति सः)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• स्वशक्तिलेशावृतभूतसर्गः: whose creation of beings is veiled by a fraction of his own power
• स्वशक्तिलेशावृतभूतसर्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वशक्तिलेशावृतभूतसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + शक्ति + लेश + आवृत + भूत + सर्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (यस्य भूतसर्गः स्वशक्तेः लेशेन आवृतः)

• इच्छागृहीताभिमतोरुदेहः: whose vast body is assumed by will, as desired
• इच्छागृहीताभिमतोरुदेहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इच्छागृहीताभिमतोरुदेह (प्रातिपदिक; इच्छा + गृहीत + अभिमत + उरु + देह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (यस्य देहः इच्छया गृहीतः, अभिमतः, उरुः)

• संसाधिताशेषजगद्धितः: who has accomplished the welfare of the entire world
• संसाधिताशेषजगद्धितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संसाधिताशेषजगद्धित (प्रातिपदिक; सम् + साधित + अशेष + जगत् + हित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (येन अशेषस्य जगतः हितं संसाधितम्)

• असौ: that one (he)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The Lord’s auspicious attributes, His śakti as the driver of creation, and His will-assumed forms for the good of the universe.

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord is the sum of all auspicious qualities; by a mere fraction of His power creation proceeds, and by His will He assumes chosen vast forms to accomplish the welfare of the whole universe.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Let devotion rest on the Lord’s kalyāṇa-guṇas (auspicious attributes): trust that divine power sustains the world and that God’s manifestations serve universal good.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms saguna Brahman as truly possessed of infinite auspicious qualities (kalyāṇa-guṇa), central to Viśiṣṭādvaita’s personal Absolute.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of describing Vishnu as “samasta-kalyāṇa-guṇātmaka” in the Vishnu Purana?

It presents Vishnu as the Supreme Reality characterized by limitless auspicious attributes, grounding devotion and theology in a personal, attribute-full Brahman who actively governs the cosmos.

How does Sage Parāśara explain creation through “a fraction of His power” in this verse?

Parāśara emphasizes divine sovereignty: the universe arises and operates under only a minute portion of Vishnu’s Shakti, implying that cosmic manifestation is dependent and subordinate to the Supreme.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu “assuming a vast, desired form by will” here?

It conveys that divine embodiment is intentional and purposeful—Vishnu takes forms by will to accomplish universal welfare, aligning with avatāra doctrine and a theistic, providential view of cosmic order.