Shloka 13

प्रह्लादस्य अव्यभिचारिणी भक्ति, मायाविनाशः, तथा विष्णोः विश्वरूप-स्तुतिः

Devanagari script

पतमानं जगद्धात्री जगद्धातरि केशवे भक्तियुक्तं दधारैनम् उपगम्य च मेदिनी

Transliteration

patamānaṃ jagaddhātrī jagaddhātari keśave bhaktiyuktaṃ dadhārainam upagamya ca medinī

Translation

As Keśava, the Sustainer of the worlds, was falling, Medinī—the Earth who bears the world—came near in devotion and upheld Him.

Word by Word

• patamānam: (him) falling
• patamānam: Karma (Object qualified/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pat (धातु) + śānac (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present middle participle); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'falling'

• jagaddhātrī: the world-sustainer (Earth)
• jagaddhātrī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat + dhātrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: जगतः धात्री = sustainer of the world

• jagaddhātari: in/with regard to the world-creator
• jagaddhātari: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat + dhātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: जगतः धाता = creator/sustainer of the world

• keśave: in Keśava (Vishnu)
• keśave: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: keśava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन (सम्बोधनार्थे अपि सम्भवति, परन्तु रूपं सप्तमी)

• bhaktiyuktam: endowed with devotion
• bhaktiyuktam: Karma (Object qualified/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakti + yukta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ: भक्त्या युक्तः = endowed with devotion

• dadhāra: held, supported
• dadhāra: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• enam: him
• enam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (एनद्-प्रयोग)

• upagamya: having approached
• upagamya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: upa + gam (धातु) + lyap (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभावार्थ कृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); 'having approached'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक conjunction)

• medinī: the Earth
• medinī: Karta (Apposition to जगद्धात्री/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: medinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पृथिवी-पर्याय

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The world-bearer Earth upholds the devotee because Keśava, the true sustainer, is the ground of all support and the object of devotion.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: See life’s supports—community, nature, circumstance—as instruments of divine care; cultivate gratitude and surrender rather than entitlement.

Vishishtadvaita: Jagat is real and functions as the Lord’s body (śarīra); Bhū-devī’s agency reflects the Lord’s immanent governance while He remains transcendent.

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Divine-protection

Bhakti Quality: Bhakti as surrender that draws protective grace through the Lord’s cosmic order

Persecution: Cliff

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Lakshmi Presence: Bhumi

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Keśava)
• Earth (Medinī/Bhūmi)
• Jagaddhātā (Sustainer of the world)

FAQs

What is the significance of Medinī (Earth) being called jagaddhātrī in the Vishnu Purana?

It presents Earth as a sacred, living support of embodied existence—yet still dependent on Vishnu, the higher Jagaddhātā, for ultimate stability and order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain devotion (bhakti) in this narrative moment?

Bhakti is shown as an active, sustaining force: Earth approaches the Lord and upholds Him, indicating that devotion participates in maintaining dharma and cosmic harmony.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu (Keśava) here?

Vishnu is affirmed as the Supreme Sustainer (Jagaddhātā); even the world-bearer (Earth) turns toward Him, implying His transcendence and sovereignty over all supports.