Shloka 43

वाराहावतारः (भूम्युद्धारः) — Varāha, the Raising of the Earth and the Recommencement of Creation

Devanagari script

सत्त्वोद्रिक्तो ऽसि भगवन् गोविन्द पृथिवीम् इमाम् समुद्धर भवायेश शं नो देह्य् अब्जलोचन

Transliteration

sattvodrikto 'si bhagavan govinda pṛthivīm imām samuddhara bhavāyeśa śaṃ no dehy abjalocana

Translation

O Blessed Lord Govinda, You shine with the predominance of sattva. Lift up this Earth; O Sovereign, become our well-being; O lotus-eyed One, grant us auspiciousness.

Word by Word

• सत्त्वोद्रिक्तः: abounding in sattva; predominantly pure
• सत्त्वोद्रिक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्त्व + उद्रिक्त (प्रातिपदिक; √द्रिच्/द्रिच्-आधारेण ‘उद्रिक्त’ इति कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सत्त्वेन उद्रिक्तः = ‘सत्त्व-प्रधानः’)

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भगवन्: O Lord
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• गोविन्द: O Govinda
• गोविन्द: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• पृथिवीम्: the earth
• पृथिवीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• इमाम्: this
• इमाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (पृथिवीम्)

• समुद्धर: lift up; rescue
• समुद्धर: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उद् + √हृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भवाय: for welfare; for well-being
• भवाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• ईश: O Lord; O ruler
• ईश: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• शम्: auspiciousness; welfare
• शम्: Prayojana/Phala (Benediction/फल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शम् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः)
• Form: अव्यय; मंगलार्थक-निपातः (benedictive particle)

• नः: for us; our
• नः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) बहुवचन; ‘अस्माकम्/नः’

• देहि: grant; give
• देहि: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अब्जलोचन: O lotus-eyed one
• अब्जलोचन: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अब्ज + लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अब्जम् इव लोचनं यस्य)

Speaker

A supplicatory voice within the narration (the gods/sages beseeching Vishnu as Govinda in the Varaha context), as relayed by Sage Parāśara to Maitreya

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Account of creation and the Lord’s intervention in establishing the earth for further sarga.

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Avatara Context

Avatara: Varaha

Purpose: To rescue the Earth from submergence in the cosmic waters and re-establish the ordered world for creation to proceed.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Stability of the earth as the basis for loka-dharma and the continuation of sarga (creation).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The sattva-pradhāna Lord, praised as Govinda, is the protector whose grace secures the world’s welfare.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate sāttvika devotion—prayer for loka-kalyāṇa and reliance on the Lord as protector in crisis.

Vishishtadvaita: The Supreme is approached personally (Govinda, lotus-eyed) and acts within the world for its support, showing immanence without loss of transcendence.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Lakshmi Presence: Bhumi

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Govinda
• Prithivi (Earth)

FAQs

What is the significance of sattva in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The verse frames Vishnu as “sattva-dominant,” highlighting His preservative, harmony-restoring nature—sattva being the guṇa associated with clarity, balance, and sustenance of cosmic order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the restoration of the Earth in this context?

Through the narrative of Vishnu’s intervention (Varāha motif), Parāśara presents restoration as an act of divine sovereignty—Vishnu actively re-establishes stability when the world is imperiled.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is invoked as Īśa (Supreme Lord) and Govinda, the direct source of welfare and auspiciousness, emphasizing a Vaishnava view of the Supreme Reality who preserves and rescues creation.