Shloka 44

प्रचेतसां तपः तथा विष्णु-स्तुतिः

The Pracetases’ Ocean Tapas and Hymn to Vishnu

Devanagari script

एवं प्रचेतसो विष्णुं स्तुवन्तस् तत्समाधयः दश वर्षसहस्राणि तपश् चेरुर् महार्णवे

Transliteration

evaṃ pracetaso viṣṇuṃ stuvantas tatsamādhayaḥ daśa varṣasahasrāṇi tapaś cerur mahārṇave

Translation

Thus, the Pracetas—absorbed in that very contemplation—praised Lord Viṣṇu and performed austerities for ten thousand years in the great ocean, their minds fixed on the Supreme Reality.

Word by Word

• evaṃ: thus
• evaṃ: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evaṃ (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारार्थक अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• pracetasaḥ: the Pracetas
• pracetasaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pracetasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषनाम (the Pracetas)

• viṣṇum: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• stuvantaḥ: praising
• stuvantaḥ: Karta (Agent-participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: stu (धातु) + śatṛ (कृत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ) परस्मैपदी; 'praising' (simultaneous action)

• tat: that
• tat: Visheshana (Determiner/निर्देशक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; निर्देशार्थक सर्वनाम; समासपूर्वपद (in tatsamādhayaḥ)

• samādhayaḥ: (those) with that concentration/absorption
• samādhayaḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samādhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; 'tatsamādhayaḥ' इति समास/सन्धि: तत् + समाधयः

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Visheshana (Numeral qualifier/संख्या-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याविशेषण; 'varṣasahasrāṇi' इत्यस्य विशेषण

• varṣasahasrāṇi: thousands of years
• varṣasahasrāṇi: Kāla-adhikarana (Time extent/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; षष्ठी/तत्पुरुषार्थे: 'varṣāṇāṃ sahasrāṇi' (thousands of years)

• tapaḥ: austerity, penance
• tapaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्मपद

• ceruḥ: they practised/performed
• ceruḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; 'they performed/practised'

• mahārṇave: in the great ocean
• mahārṇave: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + arṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; कर्मधारयसमास (great ocean)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The Pracetas’ austerity and praise of Vishnu

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: narrative-authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sustained praise (stuti) joined with deep samādhi and long tapas leads the mind to steadfast fixation on Vishnu.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Adopt a steady sādhanā rhythm: daily stotra-recitation plus meditation, prioritizing consistency over intensity.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhakti as a disciplined, time-extended practice (upāsanā) directed to a personal Lord, consistent with Vishishtadvaita’s emphasis on devotion supported by ethical and meditative discipline.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Vasudeva (devotional)

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Pracetasas
• Mahārṇava (the great ocean)

FAQs

What is the significance of the Pracetasas performing tapas in the ocean in the Vishnu Purana?

It highlights extreme austerity joined with devotion—tapas supported by stuti and samādhi—showing Vishnu as the ultimate refuge and goal even amid the cosmic waters.

How does Sage Parāśara explain samādhi in this episode?

Parāśara depicts samādhi as single-pointed absorption in Vishnu (“tat-samādhayaḥ”), where praise and inner contemplation merge into sustained spiritual discipline.

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

Vishnu is presented as the Supreme Reality worthy of unwavering meditation and praise, reinforcing Vaishnava doctrine that liberation and cosmic harmony are grounded in devotion to Him.