Shloka 109

सूर्यरथ-कालचक्र-आयनविभागः, संध्योपासनम्, देवयान-पितृयानम्, विष्णुपद-गङ्गावतरणम्

Devanagari script

वामपादाम्बुजाङ्गुष्ठनखस्रोतोविनिर्गताम् विष्णोर् बिभर्ति यां भक्त्या शिरसाहर्निशं ध्रुवः

Transliteration

vāmapādāmbujāṅguṣṭhanakhasrotovinirgatām viṣṇor bibharti yāṃ bhaktyā śirasāharniśaṃ dhruvaḥ

Translation

From the stream that issues from the nail of the great toe of Lord Viṣṇu’s left lotus-foot, Dhruva, in unwavering devotion, bears her upon his head day and night.

Word by Word

• वामपादाम्बुजाङ्गुष्ठनखस्रोतोविनिर्गताम्: (her) who issued from the stream of the toenail of the lotus-like left foot
• वामपादाम्बुजाङ्गुष्ठनखस्रोतोविनिर्गताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाम-पाद-अम्बुज-अङ्गुष्ठ-नख-स्रोतस्-विनिर्गत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; कृदन्त (क्त) 'विनिर्गता'—'having issued forth'; दीर्घ-समासः (complex determinative) qualifying 'याम्' (Gaṅgā)

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• बिभर्ति: bears/supports
• बिभर्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• याम्: whom/which
• याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• शिरसा: on (his) head / with the head
• शिरसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• अहर्निशम्: day and night
• अहर्निशम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहः-निशम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; द्वन्द्व-समास (day-and-night) used adverbially = continually

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

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Gaṅgā’s emergence from Viṣṇu’s lotus-foot and Dhruva’s devotional bearing of her

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Gaṅgā, issuing from Viṣṇu’s lotus-foot, is borne continually on Dhruva’s head through unwavering devotion.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Cultivate constancy in daily remembrance and practice (nitya-smaraṇa), making devotion steady rather than occasional.

Vishishtadvaita: Grace flows from Bhagavān’s transcendent body to the cosmos; the devotee (Dhruva) participates as a dependent bearer, illustrating śeṣa-śeṣi (servant–Lord) relation.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Dhruva

FAQs

What is the significance of the stream emerging from Vishnu’s lotus-foot in the Vishnu Purana?

It signifies divine sanctity and cosmic purification: sacred waters are portrayed as originating from Viṣṇu, grounding the universe’s holiness in the Supreme Lord.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Dhruva’s role in this passage?

Parāśara presents Dhruva as an ever-steady devotee who continually bears the sacred, Viṣṇu-originating stream upon his head—an image of unwavering service and exalted station.

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

Viṣṇu is the supreme source from whom sanctity and order flow; even cosmic sacredness (the divine stream) is traced to Him, while Dhruva’s devotion illustrates the Vaishnava ideal of surrender to the Supreme.