Shloka 9

ध्रुवस्य तपः — देवमायाविघ्नाः, विष्णोर्दर्शनम्, स्तुतिः, ध्रुवस्थानप्रदानम्

Devanagari script

वामपादस्थिते तस्मिन् ननामार्धेन मेदिनी द्वितीयं च ननामार्धं क्षितेर् दक्षिणतः स्थिते

Transliteration

vāmapādasthite tasmin nanāmārdhena medinī dvitīyaṃ ca nanāmārdhaṃ kṣiter dakṣiṇataḥ sthite

Translation

When He stood firm with His left foot, the Earth bowed by one half; and when He stood to the Earth’s right side, she bowed again by the other half, submitting entirely.

Word by Word

• वामपादस्थिते: being on the left foot
• वामपादस्थिते: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Locative absolute/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाम-पाद-स्थित (प्रातिपदिक; वाम + पाद + स्थित)
• Form: भूतकाले क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; ‘when (he) was placed on the left foot’

• तस्मिन्: in/when that (was so)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• ननाम: bowed/stooped
• ननाम: Kriyā (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अर्धेन: by half (of herself)
• अर्धेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• मेदिनी: the Earth
• मेदिनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेदिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• द्वितीयम्: the second
• द्वितीयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (to अर्धम् understood)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ननाम: bowed/stooped
• ननाम: Kriyā (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अर्धम्: half
• अर्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• क्षितेः: of the Earth
• क्षितेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• दक्षिणतः: on the right side
• दक्षिणतः: Deśa (Spatial adjunct/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दक्षिणतः (अव्यय; दिशावाचक)
• Form: दिशावाचक-अव्यय (adverb of direction)

• स्थिते: being situated
• स्थिते: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Locative absolute/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकाले क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; ‘when (he) was situated’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Earth’s submission and cosmic reorientation caused by the Lord’s stance.

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas (worlds)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The cosmos ‘bows’ before the Lord; even Earth submits wholly to His mere posture, revealing absolute sovereignty (aiśvarya).

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice humility (namratā) and surrender in worship—recognizing one’s dependence on the divine support.

Vishishtadvaita: Highlights śeṣatva: the world (Bhūmi) is the Lord’s body/possession and naturally ‘bows’ as the dependent to the independent (śeṣin).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Lakshmi Presence: Bhumi

Characters & Entities

• Earth (Medinī/Kṣiti)

FAQs

What is the significance of the Earth bowing in this verse of the Vishnu Purana?

It portrays the Earth as a conscious, reverent reality that submits fully to the Lord’s stabilizing presence—an image of cosmic order responding to divine sovereignty.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Lord’s power in this scene?

By describing that even a shift of the Lord’s stance—left foot set, then standing to the Earth’s right—causes the Earth to bow completely, Parāśara emphasizes effortless, supreme control rather than forceful exertion.

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

In the Varāha narrative, Vishnu is implied as the Supreme Sustainer whose presence re-orders reality; the Earth’s total bowing underscores His unsurpassed lordship central to Vaishnava philosophy.