Shloka 34

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

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

Devanagari script

पुच्छे ऽग्निश् च महेन्द्रश् च कश्यपो ऽथ ततो ध्रुवः तारका शिशुमारस्य नास्तम् एति चतुष्टयम्

Transliteration

pucche 'gniś ca mahendraś ca kaśyapo 'tha tato dhruvaḥ tārakā śiśumārasya nāstam eti catuṣṭayam

Translation

At the tail of the Śiśumāra are Agni, Mahendra, and Kaśyapa—and then Dhruva. This fourfold group of luminaries belonging to the Śiśumāra never sets, remaining ever visible as fixed guides in the celestial order.

Word by Word

• पुच्छे: in the tail
• पुच्छे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुच्छ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• अग्निः: Agni
• अग्निः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• महेन्द्रः: Mahendra (great Indra)
• महेन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• कश्यपः: Kaśyapa
• कश्यपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कश्यप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha/Discourse
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक/प्रारम्भार्थक अव्यय (then/now)

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha/Discourse
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: अपादानार्थक/क्रमबोधक अव्यय (from there/thereafter)

• ध्रुवः: Dhruva (Pole Star)
• ध्रुवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• तारकाः: the stars
• तारकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• शिशुमारस्य: of the Śiśumāra
• शिशुमारस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिशुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• नास्तम्: to setting (down)
• नास्तम्: Kriya-Viseshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नास्तम् (अव्यय; नस्/अस्तम्-प्रयोग)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘to setting/down’ (नास्तं गच्छति-प्रयोग)

• एति: goes
• एति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• चतुष्टयम्: a group of four
• चतुष्टयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुष्टय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; यहाँ प्रथमा (समूहः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Astral cosmology of the Śiśumāra (celestial configuration) and the never-setting fixed luminaries

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas (worlds)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The heavens possess an ordered, stable structure with fixed guiding points (Dhruva and associated luminaries) within the Śiśumāra configuration.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate dhruva-niṣṭhā—steadfastness—by taking the cosmic order as a mirror for inner stability amid change.

Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic regularity is a meaningful order within the Lord’s governed universe, not a self-subsisting mechanism—supporting a theistic, purposive cosmos.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Bhakti Type: Shanta (peaceful)

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Mahendra (Indra)
• Kaśyapa
• Dhruva
• Śiśumāra

FAQs

What is the significance of the Śiśumāra in the Vishnu Purana?

The Śiśumāra is a symbolic mapping of the heavens, presenting a sacred, ordered cosmos where specific deities and stars occupy defined positions, reflecting stability and divine governance.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the idea of “never setting” stars here?

He identifies a quartet—Agni, Mahendra, Kaśyapa, and Dhruva—associated with the Śiśumāra as not going to setting, pointing to a fixed, enduring celestial reference within the cosmological description.

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

By portraying the heavens as an intelligible, stable order with unwavering markers like Dhruva, the text underscores a universe upheld by supreme sovereignty—ultimately grounded in Vishnu as the sustaining reality.