Shloka 102

Devanagari script

क्षीरोदो रूपधृक् तस्यै मालाम् अम्लानपङ्कजाम् ददौ विभूषणान्य् अङ्गे विश्वकर्मा चकार ह

Transliteration

kṣīrodo rūpadhṛk tasyai mālām amlānapaṅkajām dadau vibhūṣaṇāny aṅge viśvakarmā cakāra ha

Translation

Then Kṣīroda, assuming a fitting form, presented her an unfading garland of lotuses; and Viśvakarmā fashioned ornaments to adorn her limbs.

Word by Word

• क्षीरोदः: the Milk Ocean
• क्षीरोदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीर + उद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (क्षीरस्य उदः/उदधिः)

• रूपधृक्: assuming a form
• रूपधृक्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूप + धृक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (रूपं धरतीति)

• तस्यै: to her
• तस्यै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• मालाम्: a garland
• मालाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अम्लानपङ्कजाम्: of unfading lotuses
• अम्लानपङ्कजाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अम्लान + पङ्कज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (अम्लानं पङ्कजं यस्याः सा)

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• विभूषणानि: ornaments
• विभूषणानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• अङ्गे: on (her) body
• अङ्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• विश्वकर्मा: Viśvakarmā
• विश्वकर्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (विश्वस्य कर्मा)

• चकार: made
• चकार: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ह: indeed
• ह: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle, emphasis)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The honoring of Śrī by cosmic beings and the furnishing of her divine attributes

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: All cosmic excellences—beauty, skill, and adornment—are offered in service to Śrī, modeling devotional offering (upacāra) as sacred participation.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Offer one’s skills and craft—art, work, learning—as an ornament of worship, transforming ability into seva.

Vishishtadvaita: The world’s perfections are meaningful as modes (prakāra) of the Divine, finding fulfillment when dedicated to Hari-Śrī.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: shanta

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Characters & Entities

• Kshiroda (Ocean of Milk)
• Vishvakarma
• Lakshmi (implied: 'to her')

FAQs

What is the significance of the unfading lotus garland in the Vishnu Purana?

It signifies Lakshmi’s imperishable auspiciousness (śrī) and purity—prosperity that is not subject to decay—bestowed as part of the cosmic consecration following the churning of the ocean.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of divine beings like Viśvakarmā in this episode?

Parāśara presents them as functionaries of cosmic order: Viśvakarmā externalizes divine splendor through crafted ornaments, marking Lakshmi’s manifestation as a universe-recognized sovereignty of fortune and beauty.

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

Even when not named in the verse, the episode frames Śrī (Lakshmi) and her honors as operating within Vishnu’s supreme order—prosperity and auspiciousness become meaningful and stable when aligned with the highest divine sovereignty.