Shloka 18
मेरु-प्रमाणम्, सप्त-पाताल-वर्णनम्, तथा अनन्त-शेष-तत्त्वम्
लाङ्गलासक्तहस्ताग्रो बिभ्रन् मुसलम् उत्तमम् उपास्यते स्वयं कान्त्या यो वारुण्या च मूर्तया
lāṅgalāsaktahastāgro bibhran musalam uttamam upāsyate svayaṃ kāntyā yo vāruṇyā ca mūrtayā
With the tip of his hand set upon the plough, bearing the excellent pestle as his weapon, he is worshipped by his own radiant splendour—and also in the form of Vāruṇī, the watery, ocean-born manifestation.
Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Sacred geography and the beings supporting the worlds (context of Bhū-maṇḍala description)
Teaching: Cosmological
Quality: authoritative
Concept: The same divine principle is worshipped through multiple forms and manifestations—radiant self-effulgence and specific mūrti-forms—without division of sovereignty.
Vedantic Theme: Brahman
Application: Adopt iṣṭa-devatā devotion while honoring other authentic forms as expressions of the one Lord; let worship be inclusive rather than sectarian.
Vishishtadvaita: Unity-in-plurality: one Supreme with real attributes and modes (prakāra), approachable through diverse mūrti-manifestations.
Vishnu Form: Vasudeva (devotional)
Bhakti Type: Shanta (peaceful)
Vyuha Form: Sankarshana
FAQs
They identify Balarāma (Halāyudha): the plough symbolizes ordering and stabilizing the world, while the pestle marks divine strength used to uphold dharma.
He indicates that the divine can be approached both as self-luminous splendour (kānti) and as a concrete embodiment (mūrti), showing layered modes of devotion.
Even within dynastic history, divine sovereignty appears through avatāric presence and worship—supporting the Vaishnava view that the Supreme is accessible in manifest forms while remaining transcendent.