Shloka 62

भरतचरितम्—मृगासक्ति-हेतुकः समाधिभङ्गः, जातिस्मरत्वं, रहूगण-जाḍभरत-संवादः

Devanagari script

भूमौ पादयुगस्यास्था जङ्घे पादद्वये स्थिते ऊरू जङ्घाद्वयावस्थौ तदाधारं तथोदरम्

Transliteration

bhūmau pādayugasyāsthā jaṅghe pādadvaye sthite ūrū jaṅghādvayāvasthau tadādhāraṃ tathodaram

Translation

Upon the Earth rests the foundation of the pair of feet; upon the shanks are stationed the two feet. The thighs abide upon the two shanks, and upon that support, in due order, rests the belly.

Word by Word

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• पादयुगस्य: of the pair of feet
• पादयुगस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• आस्था: support; resting-place
• आस्था: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ + स्था (धातु) + क्तिन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्तिन्-प्रत्ययान्त भाववाचक/कर्तृवाचक संज्ञा; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• जङ्घे: the two shanks (legs)
• जङ्घे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जङ्घा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया/सम्बोधन, द्विवचन (dual)

• पादद्वये: in/on the two feet
• पादद्वये: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (संख्यावाचक/द्वय-सम्बद्ध); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• स्थिते: standing; placed
• स्थिते: Kriya (Predicate participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया/सम्बोधन, द्विवचन; ‘स्थिते’ (agreeing with जङ्घे)

• ऊरू: the two thighs
• ऊरू: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया/सम्बोधन, द्विवचन

• जङ्घाद्वयावस्थौ: in the state/position of the two shanks
• जङ्घाद्वयावस्थौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जङ्घा (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक) + अवस्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (जङ्घाद्वयस्य अवस्थौ); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), द्विवचन (agreeing with ऊरू)

• तदाधारम्: its support
• तदाधारम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + आधार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (तस्य आधारः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तथा: likewise; and so
• तथा: Samuccaya/Anvaya (Linking adverb/तथा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/उपमानवाचक adverb)

• उदरम्: the belly; abdomen
• उदरम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: By tracing the chain of supports—earth, feet, shanks, thighs, belly—one sees that ‘burden’ is a relational concept within the body’s structure, not an absolute property of the self.

Vedantic Theme: Atman

Application: When feeling ‘overburdened,’ analyze the actual supports and causes (body, roles, conditions) instead of identifying the inner self with the load.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms real embodied order (śarīra as structured instrument) while implying the self is distinct from the bodily support-chain—key to the śarīra–śarīrī distinction.

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Earth (Bhūmi)

FAQs

What is the significance of the cosmic body (Virāṭ/Puruṣa) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents the universe as an ordered body whose parts rest upon one another, implying an integrated cosmos ultimately grounded in Vishnu’s sovereign reality.

How does Sage Parāśara explain cosmic order in this chapter?

He describes a hierarchical support-structure—feet, shanks, thighs, and belly—showing that the worlds are not random but arranged through a purposeful, sustaining principle.

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

Even when not named in every line, the mapping of the world onto the cosmic form points to Vishnu as the underlying support (adhāra) in whom the universe coheres and depends.