Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 23

Varṣa-devatā Worship in Jambūdvīpa: Hayagrīva/Hayaśīrṣa, Nṛsiṁha, Kāmadeva (Pradyumna), Matsya, Kūrma, and Varāha

स त्वं ममाप्यच्युत शीर्ष्णि वन्दितं कराम्बुजं यत्त्वदधायि सात्वताम् । बिभर्षि मां लक्ष्म वरेण्य मायया क ईश्वरस्येहितमूहितुं विभुरिति ॥ २३ ॥

sa tvaṁ mamāpy acyuta śīrṣṇi vanditaṁ karāmbujaṁ yat tvad-adhāyi sātvatām bibharṣi māṁ lakṣma vareṇya māyayā ka īśvarasyehitam ūhituṁ vibhur iti

O Acyuta, deine lotosgleiche Hand ist die Quelle aller Segnungen; darum verehren die reinen Sātvata-Bhaktas sie, und du legst aus Barmherzigkeit deine Hand auf ihre Häupter. Auch ich wünsche, dass du diese Hand auf mein Haupt legst. Obwohl du auf deiner Brust das Zeichen meiner goldenen Streifen trägst, halte ich dies für mich nur für trügerischen Ruhm; deine wahre Gnade gilt den Bhaktas, nicht mir. Du bist der höchste Herr und absolute Lenker; wer könnte deine Absichten ergründen?

saḥhe/that (one)
saḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1st), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun
tvamyou
tvam:
Sambodhyābhāsa/Karta (सम्बोधनार्थ-कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNominative (प्रथमा/1st), Singular (एकवचन); 2nd person pronoun
mamaof me / my
mama:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormGenitive (षष्ठी/6th), Singular (एकवचन); 1st person pronoun
apialso/even
api:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
FormParticle (निपात)
acyutaO Acyuta (O infallible Lord)
acyuta:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootacyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Vocative (सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)
śīrṣṇion (the) head
śīrṣṇi:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootśiras (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Locative (सप्तमी/7th), Singular (एकवचन)
vanditampraised/worshipped
vanditam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootvand (धातु) + ta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
FormPast passive participle (क्त/ta); Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with karāmbujam
karāmbujam(your) lotus-hand
karāmbujam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootkara (प्रातिपदिक) + ambuja (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'hand-lotus' = lotus-like hand
yatwhich
yat:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1st), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun referring to karāmbujam
tvatfrom you
tvat:
Apādāna (अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootyusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormAblative (पञ्चमी/5th), Singular (एकवचन); enclitic form in compound context
adhāyiwas placed/was set
adhāyi:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootdhā (धा, धातु)
FormAorist (लुङ्), Passive voice (कर्मणि), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
sātvatāmof the Sātvatas (devotees)
sātvatām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootsātvata (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Genitive (षष्ठी/6th), Plural (बहुवचन)
bibharṣiyou bear/support
bibharṣi:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootbhṛ (भृ, धातु)
FormPresent (लट्), Parasmaipada, 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
māmme
mām:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormAccusative (द्वितीया/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)
lakṣmaO auspicious mark/sign (O Lakṣma)
lakṣma:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootlakṣman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Vocative (सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)
vareṇyaO most excellent/choice-worthy
vareṇya:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeAdjective
Rootvareṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Vocative (सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन); used as epithet of the Lord
māyayāby (your) māyā/power
māyayā:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootmāyā (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3rd), Singular (एकवचन)
kaḥwho
kaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootkim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1st), Singular (एकवचन); interrogative pronoun
īśvarasyaof the Lord
īśvarasya:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootīśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Genitive (षष्ठी/6th), Singular (एकवचन)
īhitamintention/act (what is willed)
īhitam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootīh (ईह्, धातु) + ita (कृत् प्रत्यय)
FormPast participle (क्त/ita) used substantively; Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)
ūhitumto infer/understand
ūhitum:
Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Infinitive purpose)
TypeVerb
Rootūh (ऊह्, धातु)
FormInfinitive (तुमुन्); expresses purpose/ability
vibhuḥthe all-powerful one
vibhuḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootvibhu (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1st), Singular (एकवचन)
itithus
iti:
Vākyānta-sūcaka (वाक्यान्तसूचक)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiti (अव्यय)
FormQuotative particle (इति-निपात)

In many places, the śāstras describe the Supreme Personality of Godhead as being more inclined toward His devotees than toward His wife, who always remains on His chest. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.14.15) it is stated:

A
Acyuta (Lord Viṣṇu/Vāsudeva)
L
Lakṣmīdevī (Śrī)

FAQs

This verse teaches that the Supreme Lord’s intentions are ultimately beyond complete human inference—His actions are guided by His superior, inconceivable potency (māyā/śakti).

She expresses humility and devotion, honoring the Lord’s lotus hand as supremely worshipable, and acknowledges that the same hand especially blesses and protects His devotees (sātvatas).

Do your duty with devotion, accept outcomes without resentment, and remember that the Lord’s arrangement may be higher than what we can immediately understand.