Shloka 41

ध्रुवस्य तपः — देवमायाविघ्नाः, विष्णोर्दर्शनम्, स्तुतिः, ध्रुवस्थानप्रदानम्

Devanagari script

भगवान् अपि सर्वात्मा तन्मयत्वेन तोषितः गत्वा ध्रुवम् उवाचेदं चतुर्भुजवपुर् हरिः

Transliteration

bhagavān api sarvātmā tanmayatvena toṣitaḥ gatvā dhruvam uvācedaṃ caturbhujavapur hariḥ

Translation

Pleased by Dhruva’s complete absorption in Him, the Blessed Lord—Hari, the Inner Self of all—approached the boy in His four-armed form and spoke these words to him.

Word by Word

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-भाव (also/even)

• सर्वात्मा: the Self of all
• सर्वात्मा: Visheshana (Appositive qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/षष्ठीभाव: ‘सर्वेषाम् आत्मा’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), भगवान्-विशेषणरूपेण

• तन्मयत्वेन: by (his) absorption in that (devotion)
• तन्मयत्वेन: Karana (Cause/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + मय (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (तद्धित)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘तन्मय’ = absorbed in that), तद्धित-भाव (त्व), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• तोषितः: pleased/satisfied
• तोषितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), भगवान्-विशेषण

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्यय-कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having gone)

• ध्रुवम्: to Dhruva (Dhruva as object of address)
• ध्रुवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said/spoke
• उवाच: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• इदम्: this (speech)
• इदम्: Karma (Object—what was said/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular), सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• चतुर्भुजवपुः: whose body has four arms
• चतुर्भुजवपुः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + भुज (प्रातिपदिक) + वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (‘चत्वारो भुजा यस्य वपुः’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), हरि-विशेषण

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya); within the verse, Hari is described as speaking to Dhruva

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Bhagavān’s appearance to Dhruva due to his absorption and the ensuing instruction/boon.

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When the mind becomes wholly God-absorbed (tanmayatva), the Lord—Sarvātmā—reveals Himself in a definite form to the devotee.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Practice steady remembrance (smaraṇa) and focused meditation; deepen devotion until it permeates thought and action.

Vishishtadvaita: Sarvātmā + caturbhuja-rūpa together express Viśiṣṭādvaita: the transcendent Lord is also the immanent Inner Self who can be personally encountered.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Vamsha: Surya

Dharma Exemplar: ekāgratā (one-pointed devotion)

Key Kings: Dhruva

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Hari)
• Dhruva

FAQs

What is the significance of Vishnu being called “Sarvātmā” in the Vishnu Purana?

In this verse, “Sarvātmā” presents Vishnu as the inner Self of all—supreme, immanent, and the ultimate reality who can personally respond to devotion.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the power of devotion in Dhruva’s story?

Parāśara frames Dhruva’s success as arising from tanmayatva—total absorption in Vishnu—which directly pleases the Lord and draws His grace and presence.

What is the theological importance of Hari appearing in a four-armed form here?

The four-armed (caturbhuja) manifestation emphasizes Vishnu’s sovereign divinity and personal accessibility—He is the supreme Lord who reveals Himself concretely to the devoted.