Shloka 47

Devanagari script

किं वदामि स्तुताव् अस्य केनोक्तेनास्य संस्तुतिः इत्य् आकुलमतिर् देवं तम् एव शरणं ययौ

Transliteration

kiṃ vadāmi stutāv asya kenoktenāsya saṃstutiḥ ity ākulamatir devaṃ tam eva śaraṇaṃ yayau

Translation

What can I say in His praise? By whose words could His glory ever be spoken as it deserves? Thus, with a mind overwhelmed, he went for refuge in that very God alone.

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम (interrogative pronoun)

• वदामि: I say/speak
• वदामि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• स्तुतौ: in praise
• स्तुतौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• केन: by whom/with what
• केन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• उक्तेन: by what is said; by utterance
• उक्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; विशेषण (instrumental)

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• संस्तुतिः: proper praise/eulogy
• संस्तुतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्तुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• आकुलमतिः: one whose mind is confused
• आकुलमतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आकुल (प्रातिपदिक) + मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास; विशेषण

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• शरणम्: refuge
• शरणम्: Karma (Goal/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; गत्यर्थे कर्म (as goal)

• ययौ: went/approached
• ययौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Because the Lord is beyond adequate verbal praise, the devotee takes śaraṇāgati (exclusive refuge) in Him alone.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: When words fail in prayer, practice surrender—offer intention and reliance rather than performance.

Vishishtadvaita: The finite self approaches the infinite Lord through prapatti, acknowledging dependence (śeṣatva) on the supreme Person.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames refuge in Vishnu as the natural culmination of devotion when the devotee realizes that the Lord’s greatness exceeds the limits of speech and intellect.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the limits of praise in this context?

He presents a devotional paradox: the Lord is worthy of praise, yet no human expression can fully contain His glory—so the devotee turns from description to surrender.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is implied as the Supreme Reality—so complete that even the best stuti is inadequate—making surrender (rather than mere eloquence) the truest response.