Shloka 31

सोमचक्रः, ग्रह-रथाः, ध्रुवबन्धनं, शिशुमारसंनिवेशः, विष्णु-सर्वात्मकता

Moon, Planets, Dhruva-Tethering, Śiśumāra, and Vishnu as All

Devanagari script

उत्तानपादस् तस्याथ विज्ञेयो ह्य् उत्तरो हनुः यज्ञो ऽधरश् च विज्ञेयो धर्मो मूर्धानम् आश्रितः

Transliteration

uttānapādas tasyātha vijñeyo hy uttaro hanuḥ yajño 'dharaś ca vijñeyo dharmo mūrdhānam āśritaḥ

Translation

Know that Uttānapāda is His upper jaw; His lower jaw is to be understood as Yajña, the sacrificial order. And Dharma abides as His very head.

Word by Word

• उत्तानपादः: Uttānapāda (name; lit. 'outstretched-foot')
• उत्तानपादः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तान + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (उत्तानः पादः), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तस्य: of it/of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (sequencing particle: 'then/now')

• विज्ञेयः: is to be understood/known
• विज्ञेयः: Kriya (Predicative/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + ज्ञा (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त विधिलिङ्गार्थक कृदन्त (gerundive/future passive participle: 'to be known'), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis/Reason)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (causal/emphatic: 'indeed/for')

• उत्तरः: upper
• उत्तरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• हनुः: jaw
• हनुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यज्ञः: sacrifice (Yajña)
• यज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अधरः: lower
• अधरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• विज्ञेयः: is to be known
• विज्ञेयः: Kriya (Predicative/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + ज्ञा (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• धर्मः: Dharma
• धर्मः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मूर्धानम्: head
• मूर्धानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आश्रितः: has occupied/is situated on
• आश्रितः: Kriya (Predicative/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + श्रि (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (धर्मः) इति कर्तरि प्रयोगार्थ: 'having resorted to/occupying'

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Mapping of names and principles onto the Śiśumāra’s limbs (cosmic person)

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dharma and Yajña are not merely human conventions but are embedded as structural principles in the cosmic person, implying a universe grounded in righteousness.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Treat ethical living and self-offering (service, restraint, gratitude) as participation in cosmic order, not optional morality.

Vishishtadvaita: Strongly supports Vishishtadvaita’s integrative vision: the cosmos (and its norms) is the Lord’s body (śarīra), with Him as indwelling ruler (antaryāmin).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Virat-Purusha
• Dharma
• Yajna
• Uttanapada

FAQs

What is the significance of Dharma being placed on the head in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents Dharma as the crowning principle of the cosmos—highest, governing, and integrative—showing that universal order is not separate from Vishnu’s supreme being but rests upon Him as His own ‘head.’

How does Sage Parashara explain Yajna in this context?

Parāśara identifies Yajña with the divine body itself (the lower jaw), implying that sacrifice is a cosmic function—an ordering power through which beings sustain creation and align with Vishnu’s sovereignty.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this mapping of body-parts to principles?

The mapping teaches that Vishnu, as the Supreme Reality, contains and upholds all ethical and ritual order—Dharma and Yajña are not merely human institutions but expressions of His all-pervading cosmic form.