Shloka 40

ध्रुवस्य तपः — देवमायाविघ्नाः, विष्णोर्दर्शनम्, स्तुतिः, ध्रुवस्थानप्रदानम्

Devanagari script

इत्य् उक्ता देवदेवेन प्रणम्य त्रिदशास् ततः प्रययुः स्वानि धिष्ण्यानि शतक्रतुपुरोगमाः

Transliteration

ity uktā devadevena praṇamya tridaśās tataḥ prayayuḥ svāni dhiṣṇyāni śatakratupurogamāḥ

Translation

Thus addressed by the God of gods, the celestials bowed in reverence; and then, with Śatakratu (Indra) at their head, they departed to their own radiant abodes.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्तिसूचक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• उक्ताः: having been addressed/told
• उक्ताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural), विशेषण (qualifies ‘त्रिदशाः’)

• देवदेवेन: by the God of gods
• देवदेवेन: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘देवानां देवः’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नम् (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग) + ल्यप् (अव्यय-कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having done earlier)

• त्रिदशाः: the thirty gods (deities)
• त्रिदशाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिदश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), क्रम/अनन्तर (thereupon)

• प्रययुः: departed/went forth
• प्रययुः: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• स्वानि: their own
• स्वानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural), विशेषण (qualifies ‘धिष्ण्यानि’)

• धिष्ण्यानि: abodes/seats
• धिष्ण्यानि: Karma (Goal as object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धिष्ण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• शतक्रतुपुरोगमाः: with Indra as their leader
• शतक्रतुपुरोगमाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शतक्रतु (प्रातिपदिक; इन्द्र-पर्याय) + पुरोगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (‘शतक्रतुः पुरोगमो येषाम्’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural), विशेषण (qualifies ‘त्रिदशाः’)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The devas’ reverence and departure after receiving the Lord’s command.

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Proper hierarchy is dharmic: even the devas act through reverent obedience to the Supreme Lord.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate humility and reverence toward the Highest principle; let authority be grounded in dharma, not ego.

Vishishtadvaita: The Supreme is personal and sovereign; all divine offices function as dependent realities (śeṣa) to Him (śeṣi).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Devadeva (Supreme Lord, identified with Vishnu in the Vishnu Purana)
• Tridaśa (the Devas)
• Śatakratu (Indra)

FAQs

What is the significance of the devas bowing (praṇamya) in the Vishnu Purana?

It signals the devas’ acknowledgment that their authority is subordinate to the Supreme Lord (Devadeva), reinforcing divine sovereignty and cosmic hierarchy.

How does Sage Parāśara frame divine governance in this passage?

By showing the devas receiving instruction from Devadeva and returning to their assigned abodes, Parāśara emphasizes an ordered cosmos where all powers operate by the Supreme’s sanction.

What is the theological importance of Devadeva here for Vaishnava philosophy?

Devadeva functions as the supreme source whom even the highest gods revere, aligning with the Vishnu Purana’s presentation of Vishnu as the ultimate reality behind all celestial rule.