Shloka 44

ध्रुवस्य तपः — देवमायाविघ्नाः, विष्णोर्दर्शनम्, स्तुतिः, ध्रुवस्थानप्रदानम्

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वेत्थं गदितं तस्य देवदेवस्य बालकः उन्मीलिताक्षो ददृशे ध्यानदृष्टं हरिं पुरः

Transliteration

śrutvetthaṃ gaditaṃ tasya devadevasya bālakaḥ unmīlitākṣo dadṛśe dhyānadṛṣṭaṃ hariṃ puraḥ

Translation

Having thus heard the words of the God of gods, the child opened his eyes and beheld Hari before him—the Lord he had seen inwardly in meditation, now manifest in his presence.

Word by Word

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √śru (श्रु धातु) + ktvā (कृत्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) — having heard

• ittham: thus
• ittham: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ittham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण — Indeclinable adverb

• gaditam: the spoken words
• gaditam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √gad (गद् धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त) नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन — Past participle used substantively; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन — Genitive, Singular

• devadevasya: of the God of gods
• devadevasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (देवानां देवः), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन — Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• bālakaḥ: the boy
• bālakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bālaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• unmīlita-akṣaḥ: with opened eyes
• unmīlita-akṣaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ud/un- + √mīl (मील् धातु) + kta (कृत्) + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (उन्मीलिते अक्षिणी यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• dadṛśe: saw
• dadṛśe: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद — Perfect, 3rd person, Singular, Atmanepada

• dhyāna-dṛṣṭam: seen in meditation
• dhyāna-dṛṣṭam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhyāna (प्रातिपदिक) + dṛṣṭa (√dṛś + kta)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ध्यानदृष्टम् = ध्यानेन दृष्टम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular (हरिम् विशेषयति)

• harim: Hari (Vishnu)
• harim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• puraḥ: in front
• puraḥ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: puras (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक — Indeclinable adverb of place

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How the Lord becomes manifest to the meditator; fruit of dhyāna.

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord who is first realized inwardly through meditation can, by grace, become directly perceptible as a personal presence.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Treat meditation as relational (addressed to the Lord), not merely technique; sustain practice until inner remembrance becomes vivid and steady.

Vishishtadvaita: Personalism: Brahman is not an impersonal abstraction but Hari who grants experiential encounter while remaining the inner ruler.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: Dhyāna-niṣṭhā (steadfast meditation)

Key Kings: Dhruva

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Dhruva (the child devotee)

FAQs

What is the significance of dhyāna (meditation) turning into darśana (direct vision) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse marks the transition from inner realization to outward revelation: the Lord whom the devotee contemplates becomes directly present, emphasizing that divine grace consummates disciplined meditation.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the devotee’s experience of Vishnu here?

Parāśara narrates that after hearing the Lord’s assurance, the child opens his eyes and sees Hari before him—showing that the narrative frames God-realization as both contemplative (dhyāna) and personal (encounter with the Lord).

What is the theological importance of calling Vishnu 'Devadeva' in this context?

By naming Vishnu the 'God of gods,' the text underscores Vishnu’s sovereignty over all divine powers and presents him as the supreme refuge who responds directly to unwavering devotion.