Shloka 17

Procedure for the Guḍa-dhenū (Jaggery-Cow) Gift; Ten Dhenu-dānas; Yearlong Gaṅgā Worship and Darśana

Devanagari script

विष्णोर्वक्षसि या लक्ष्मीः स्वाहारूपा विभावसोः । चन्द्रार्कशक्रशक्तिर्या धेनुरूपास्तु सा श्रिये ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

viṣṇorvakṣasi yā lakṣmīḥ svāhārūpā vibhāvasoḥ | candrārkaśakraśaktiryā dhenurūpāstu sā śriye || 17 ||

Translation

Möge Lakṣmī—die auf Viṣṇus Brust weilt, im Feuer als Svāhā gegenwärtig ist und die Kraft von Mond, Sonne und Indra darstellt—uns zu Wohlstand werden, indem sie die Gestalt der wunscherfüllenden Kuh annimmt.

Word by Word

• viṣṇoḥ: of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Ṣaṣṭhī (Gen. 6th), Ekavacana (sg.)

• vakṣasi: on the chest
• vakṣasi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vakṣas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), Saptamī (Loc. 7th), Ekavacana (sg.)

• yā: she who
• yā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā (Nom. 1st), Ekavacana (sg.)

• lakṣmīḥ: Lakṣmī
• lakṣmīḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā (Nom. 1st), Ekavacana (sg.)

• svāhā-rūpā: in the form of Svāhā
• svāhā-rūpā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svāhā (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā (Nom. 1st), Ekavacana (sg.); ‘having the form of Svāhā’

• vibhāvasoḥ: of Vibhāvasu (Agni)
• vibhāvasoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhāvasu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Ṣaṣṭhī (Gen. 6th), Ekavacana (sg.); name of Agni

• candra-arka-śakra-śaktiḥ: the power of the Moon, Sun, and Indra
• candra-arka-śakra-śaktiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: candra (प्रातिपदिक) + arka (प्रातिपदिक) + śakra (प्रातिपदिक) + śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā (Nom. 1st), Ekavacana (sg.); determinative: candrasya arkasya śakrasya śaktiḥ (power of Moon, Sun, and Indra)

• yā: she who
• yā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā (Nom. 1st), Ekavacana (sg.)

• dhenu-rūpā: having the form of a cow
• dhenu-rūpā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhenu (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā (Nom. 1st), Ekavacana (sg.); ‘cow-formed’

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avadhāraṇa/virodha-avyaya (particle: indeed/but)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā (Nom. 1st), Ekavacana (sg.)

• śriye: for prosperity/for Śrī
• śriye: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Caturthī vibhakti (Dat. 4th), Ekavacana (sg.)

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Purana; hymn-style benediction within the chapter)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Lakshmi
• Svaha
• Agni
• Chandra
• Surya
• Indra

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It identifies one auspicious divine power—Lakṣmī—as simultaneously present in Viṣṇu (as Śrī), in yajña (as Svāhā in Agni), and in cosmic governance (as the śakti of Moon, Sun, and Indra), teaching an integrated vision of prosperity as sacred and dharmic.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

By centering Lakṣmī on Viṣṇu’s chest, it points devotees to Viṣṇu-bhakti as the root of śrī (auspicious fortune), implying that prosperity is best sought through reverence, surrender, and worship aligned with Viṣṇu.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual application (Kalpa): Svāhā is the technical yajña exclamation used when offering into Agni, indicating that correct oblation-formulas and sacrificial procedure are channels through which auspicious results (śrī) are invoked.