Shloka 21
भारतवर्षमहात्म्यम् — कर्मभूमित्वम्, नवभेदाः, कुलपर्वताः-नद्यः-जनपदाः, युगचक्रविशेषः, यज्ञपुरुषविष्णुपूजा
पुरुषैर् यज्ञपुरुषो जम्बूद्वीपे सदेज्यते यज्ञैर् यज्ञमयो विष्णुर् अन्यद्वीपेषु चान्यथा
puruṣair yajñapuruṣo jambūdvīpe sadejyate yajñair yajñamayo viṣṇur anyadvīpeṣu cānyathā
In Jambūdvīpa, human beings continually worship Viṣṇu—the Yajñapuruṣa—through sacrificial rites, for Viṣṇu is the very essence of yajña; in the other dvīpas, however, He is revered in other ordained ways.
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Modes of Viṣṇu-worship across Jambūdvīpa and other dvīpas
Teaching: Devotional
Quality: revealing
Cosmic Hierarchy: Dvipas (continents)
Concept: Viṣṇu is Yajñapuruṣa—both the recipient and the very inner substance of sacrifice—yet He is worshipped through diverse ordained forms across different dvīpas.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Honor multiple legitimate forms of worship while keeping the inner orientation fixed on the Lord as the indwelling reality of the practice.
Vishishtadvaita: Strongly supports immanence: the Lord is present within the act (yajña) itself as its inner self, aligning with the body–soul relation central to Viśiṣṭādvaita.
Vishnu Form: Narayana
Bhakti Type: Dasya
Antaryamin: Yes
FAQs
This verse identifies Viṣṇu as Yajñapuruṣa—the inner Person and reality of sacrifice—showing that yajña is not merely ritual action but a mode of approaching the Supreme Lord who sustains cosmic order.
Parāśara states that while Jambūdvīpa chiefly worships Viṣṇu through yajñas, other dvīpas honor the same Lord through different prescribed forms—diverse practices, one Supreme object of worship.
Viṣṇu is presented as the essence of yajña itself, emphasizing His status as the Supreme Reality who receives worship through dharma-ordered acts, while remaining universally worship-worthy across all realms.