Shloka 101

Devanagari script

गङ्गाद्याः सरितस् तोयैः स्नानार्थम् उपतस्थिरे दिग्गजा हेमपात्रस्थम् आदाय विमलं जलम् स्नापयां चक्रिरे देवीं सर्वलोकमहेश्वरीम्

Transliteration

gaṅgādyāḥ saritas toyaiḥ snānārtham upatasthire diggajā hemapātrastham ādāya vimalaṃ jalam snāpayāṃ cakrire devīṃ sarvalokamaheśvarīm

Translation

For her ceremonial bath, the sacred rivers—foremost the Gaṅgā—came forth with their waters. The mighty elephants of the quarters, lifting pure water in golden vessels, performed the ablution of the Goddess, the Great Sovereign Lady of all the worlds.

Word by Word

• गङ्गाद्याः: Gaṅgā and the others
• गङ्गाद्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (गङ्गा-आद्याः = ‘Ganges and others’)

• सरितः: rivers
• सरितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (वैदिक/काव्य-प्रयोगे रूपम्)

• तोयैः: with waters
• तोयैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• स्नानार्थम्: for bathing
• स्नानार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्नान + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; अव्यय (purpose-adverb) = ‘for bathing’

• उपतस्थिरे: attended/approached
• उपतस्थिरे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• दिग्गजाः: the elephants of the quarters
• दिग्गजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिक् + गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (दिशां गजाः)

• हेमपात्रस्थम्: situated in a golden vessel
• हेमपात्रस्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हेम + पात्र + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (हेम-पात्रे स्थम् = ‘placed in a golden vessel’)

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) अव्यय; ‘having taken’

• विमलम्: pure
• विमलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• स्नापयाम्: to bathe (her)
• स्नापयाम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्/अर्थे (infinitive) अव्यय; causative sense ‘to bathe (someone)’ = ‘for bathing’

• चक्रिरे: did/performed
• चक्रिरे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• देवीम्: the goddess
• देवीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सर्वलोकमहेश्वरीम्: the great sovereign of all worlds
• सर्वलोकमहेश्वरीम्: Samanaadhikarana (Apposition/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + लोक + महा + ईश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (सर्व-लोकानां महा-ईश्वरी)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Śrī-Lakṣmī’s abhiṣeka and the deva-ritual honoring her sovereignty

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Auspiciousness (śrī) is ritually and cosmically honored as sovereign, and devotion expresses itself through reverent service (abhiṣeka).

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Approach worship with inner and outer purity—offer water, cleanliness, and gratitude, seeing sacred rivers as reminders of sanctifying grace.

Vishishtadvaita: Śrī is inseparable from Hari and mediates auspiciousness for the worlds, supporting devotion as grace-filled relationship rather than abstract monism.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: shanta

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Characters & Entities

• Ganga
• Sacred rivers
• Diggajas (elephants of the directions)
• Devi (Goddess)
• Sarvaloka-maheshvari

FAQs

What is the significance of the sacred rivers (like Gaṅgā) in this Vishnu Purana verse?

They function as living embodiments of purification and auspiciousness, presenting their waters to sanctify the divine presence through a consecratory bath.

How does Sage Parāśara explain cosmic order through imagery like the diggajas?

By invoking the elephants of the directions, the narrative shows the entire ordered cosmos—its quarters and guardians—participating in honoring divine sovereignty.

What is the theological importance of calling the Goddess “sarvaloka-maheśvarī” here?

It frames her as universal sovereign authority, implying that divinity is not merely local or sectarian but presides over all realms within the cosmic hierarchy described by the Purāṇa.