The Greatness of Viṣṇu
Uttaṅka’s Hymn, Hari’s Manifestation, and the Boon of Bhakti
सनक उवाच । उत्तङ्कस्तु तदा विप्रो हरिध्यानपरायणः । पादोदकस्य माहात्म्यं दृष्ट्वा तुष्टाव भक्तितः ॥ २ ॥
sanaka uvāca | uttaṅkastu tadā vipro haridhyānaparāyaṇaḥ | pādodakasya māhātmyaṃ dṛṣṭvā tuṣṭāva bhaktitaḥ || 2 ||
Sanaka sprach: Damals war der Brahmane Uttanka ganz der Meditation über Hari hingegeben; als er die Größe des Pādodaka, des Wassers, das die Füße des Herrn gewaschen hat, erblickte, pries er es in hingebungsvoller Bhakti.
Sanaka
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
It highlights the purifying and spiritually potent “māhātmya” of Vishnu’s pādodaka (charanāmṛta), showing that recognizing its sanctity naturally leads to devotional praise and reverence.
Bhakti is shown as a lived response to divine presence: Uttanka is established in Hari-dhyāna (meditation on Vishnu) and, upon perceiving the sacred greatness of pādodaka, expresses devotion through stuti (praise).
No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught directly; the practical takeaway is ritual-spiritual—honoring pādodaka/charanāmṛta as a sanctified substance within Vaishnava worship and purification practices.