[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Purāṇas](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana) › [Vishnupurana](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.visnu) › 6.4.45 # Vishnupurana 6.4.45 Viṣṇupurāṇa 6.4.45 - **Language:** Sanskrit ### [6.4.45](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.visnu.6.4.45) vyaktaṃ sa eva cāvyaktaṃ sa eva puruṣo 'vyayaḥ paramātmā ca viśvātmā viśvarūpadharo hariḥ // > Works, as enjoined by the Vedas, are of two kinds, active (Pravritta) and quiescent (Nivritta); by both of which the universal person is worshipped by mankind. He, the lord of sacrifice, the male of sacrifice, the most excellent male, is worshipped by men in the active mode by rites enjoined in the Rik, Yajur, and Sáma Vedas. The soul of wisdom, the person of wisdom, Vishńu, the giver of emancipation, is worshipped by sages in the quiescent form, through meditative devotion. The exhaustless Vishńu is whatever thing that is designated by long, short, or prolated syllables, or that which is without a name. He is that which is discrete, and that which is indiscrete: he is exhaustless spirit, supreme spirit, universal spirit, Hari, the wearer of universal forms. Nature, whether discrete or indiscrete, is absorbed into him, and (detached) spirit also merges into the all-diffusive and unobstructed spirit. The period of two Parárddhas, as I have described it to you, Maitreya, is called a day of that potent Vishńu; and whilst the products of nature are merged into their source, nature into spirit, and that into the supreme, that period is termed his night, and is of equal duration with his day. But, in fact, to that eternal supreme spirit there is neither day nor night, and these distinctions are only figuratively applied to the almighty. I have thus explained to you the nature of elemental dissolution, and will now expound to you which is final. > — Horace Hayman Wilson 1840, The Vishnu Purana: A System of Hindu Mythology and Tradition - [Previous: 6.4.44](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.visnu.6.4.44) - [Next: 6.4.46](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.visnu.6.4.46) - [Up: 6.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.visnu.6.4) ## Translations (2) - [The Vishnu Purana: A System of Hindu Mythology and Tradition](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.visnu~en-wilson.6.4.4) — Horace Hayman Wilson 1840, English - [A Prose English Translation of Vishnupuranam](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.visnu~en-dutt.6.4.p3) — Manmatha Nath Dutt 1896, English ## Other recensions (1) - [Viṣṇupurāṇa (vulgate)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.visnu*vulgate.6.4.45) — Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.visnu.6.4.45](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.visnu.6.4.45) · Pramāṇa