Shloka 42

ध्रुवस्य निर्वेदः — मन्त्रोपदेशः (ॐ नमो वासुदेवाय) तथा विष्ण्वाराधनविधिः

Devanagari script

अनाराधितगोविन्दैर् नरैः स्थानं नृपात्मज न हि संप्राप्यते श्रेष्ठं तस्माद् आराधयाच्युतम्

Transliteration

anārādhitagovindair naraiḥ sthānaṃ nṛpātmaja na hi saṃprāpyate śreṣṭhaṃ tasmād ārādhayācyutam

Translation

O prince, men who have not worshipped Govinda do not attain the highest station; therefore, worship Acyuta—for He alone is the unfailing refuge and the supreme goal.

Word by Word

• अनाराधितगोविन्दैः: by men who have not worshipped Govinda
• अनाराधितगोविन्दैः: Karana (Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्- + आराधित + गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः (गोविन्दः अनाराधितः यैः)

• नरैः: by men
• नरैः: Karana (Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• स्थानम्: place
• स्थानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नृपात्मज: O king's son
• नृपात्मज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नृपस्य आत्मजः)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• संप्राप्यते: is attained
• संप्राप्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, कर्मणि-भाव (passive sense), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘is attained’

• श्रेष्ठम्: best
• श्रेष्ठम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (स्थानम्)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (therefore/from that reason)

• आराधय: worship
• आराधय: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + राध् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘worship!’

• अच्युतम्: Achyuta (Vishnu)
• अच्युतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating within the Purana’s discourse to Maitreya; addressing a prince within the embedded narrative)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Without ārādhana of Govinda, the highest station is unattainable; therefore worship Acyuta, the unfailing refuge and supreme end.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Make daily worship/remembering of Vishnu central (japa, stotra, pūjā, kīrtana), and align conduct as service (kainkarya) to Him.

Vishishtadvaita: Explicit primacy of bhagavad-ārādhana for attaining parama-pada; the ‘Acyuta’ refuge theme supports śaraṇāgati and grace-centered liberation in Viśiṣṭādvaita.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: shanta

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Govinda
• Acyuta
• Prince (nṛpātmaja)

FAQs

What is the significance of worshipping Govinda in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse states that without worship of Govinda, the “highest station” cannot be attained—placing devotion to Vishnu/Krishna as the essential means to the supreme goal.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the highest attainment (śreṣṭha-sthāna) here?

Parāśara frames the supreme attainment as inaccessible through mere human effort or status; it is reached through ārādhana—devotional worship—of Acyuta, the imperishable Lord.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Vishnu, named Govinda and Acyuta, is presented as the Supreme Reality whose worship alone grants the final, highest state—reflecting core Vaishnava bhakti and liberation doctrine.