Shloka 50

ध्रुवस्य निर्वेदः — मन्त्रोपदेशः (ॐ नमो वासुदेवाय) तथा विष्ण्वाराधनविधिः

Devanagari script

यथा चाराधनं तस्य मया कार्यं महात्मनः प्रसादसुमुखास् तन् मे कथयन्तु महर्षयः

Transliteration

yathā cārādhanaṃ tasya mayā kāryaṃ mahātmanaḥ prasādasumukhās tan me kathayantu maharṣayaḥ

Translation

May the great sages—whose faces are gracious with kindness—tell me how I should perform the worship of that Great-Souled Lord, and in what manner His adoration ought to be undertaken by me.

Word by Word

• यथा: how
• यथा: Sambandha/Adverbial (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्—सम्बन्ध/प्रकारवाचकं (manner: ‘how’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपातः (conjunction)

• आराधनम्: worship, propitiation
• आराधनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of कथयन्तु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आराधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचनम्

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण/Agent in passive obligation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचनम्

• कार्यम्: to be done
• कार्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु √कृ)
• Form: कृदन्तः—ण्यत् (gerundive; ‘to be done’), नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; विधेयम् (obligation)

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled one
• महात्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचनम्

• प्रसादसुमुखाः: gracious-faced, kindly
• प्रसादसुमुखाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक) + सुमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—कर्मधारयः (prasādaḥ eva sumukham; ‘gracious-faced’), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (महर्षयः)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; अन्वयः—तत् ... कथयन्तु

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी/षष्ठी एकवचनम् (enclitic); अत्र चतुर्थी (to me)

• कथयन्तु: let them tell
• कथयन्तु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु √कथ्)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• महर्षयः: great sages
• महर्षयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्

Speaker

Maitreya (requesting instruction; addressed to the sages/narrator in the dialogue tradition)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Worship must be performed in the right manner (ārādhana-vidhi), learned from realized sages who teach out of compassion.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Adopt a consistent sādhana with correct procedure—study, seek mentorship, and practice with humility.

Vishishtadvaita: Emphasis on authoritative transmission (ācārya/sage instruction) for approaching the Lord through proper upāsanā.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman (philosophical)

Bhakti Type: Dasya (servant)

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Maharishis
• Vishnu (implied as the Mahात्मन् to be worshipped)

FAQs

What is the significance of asking about ārādhana (worship) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames worship as the practical gateway to knowing and approaching the Supreme Lord, placing devotion and right practice alongside cosmological teaching.

How does the Vishnu Purana’s dialogue structure guide spiritual instruction here?

By presenting Maitreya’s humble inquiry and the sages’/teacher’s response, the text models transmission of dharma through a disciplic question-and-answer tradition.

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

Vishnu is implied as the ‘Mahātmā’ worthy of adoration—worship is not merely ritual but a directed approach to the Supreme Reality who bestows prasāda (grace).