Shloka 113

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

Devanagari script

सीता चालकनन्दा च चक्षुर् भद्रा च संस्थिता एकैव या चतुर्भेदा दिग्भेदगतिलक्षणा

Transliteration

sītā cālakanandā ca cakṣur bhadrā ca saṃsthitā ekaiva yā caturbhedā digbhedagatilakṣaṇā

Translation

That single cosmic principle is established as Sītā, Cālakanandā, Cakṣus, and Bhadrā—one in essence, yet spoken of as fourfold, distinguished by the directions and by its modes of movement.

Word by Word

• सीता: Sītā (name)
• सीता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• चालकनन्दा: Cālakanandā (name)
• चालकनन्दा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चालक (प्रातिपदिक) + नन्दा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; चालकस्य नन्दा इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नाम)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• चक्षुः: Cakṣu (name; ‘eye’)
• चक्षुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्षुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• भद्रा: Bhadrā (name)
• भद्रा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• संस्थिता: situated; established
• संस्थिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + स्था (धातु) → संस्थित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तं; विशेषणम् (या)

• एका: one
• एका: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (या)

• एव: indeed; only
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• या: she who
• या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• चतुर्भेदा: fourfold
• चतुर्भेदा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (चत्वारः भेदाः यस्याः); विशेषणम् (या)

• दिग्भेदगतिलक्षणा: characterized by movement according to division of directions
• दिग्भेदगतिलक्षणा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिक् (प्रातिपदिक) + भेद (प्रातिपदिक) + गति (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः: दिग्भेदेन गतिः लक्षणं यस्याः (विशेषणम् या)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Names and directional divisions of the single celestial Gaṅgā into four streams (Sītā, Cālakanandā, Cakṣus, Bhadrā) based on their courses

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Unity can manifest as functional plurality: one sacred current is described as four by virtue of directional movement and distinct courses.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Hold together unity and diversity in practice—see many duties and paths as expressions of one spiritual aim (service to the Divine).

Vishishtadvaita: Resonates with Viśiṣṭādvaita’s ‘one-with-attributes’: a single reality expressing real distinctions without losing unity (ekaiva…caturbhedā).

Characters & Entities

• Sage Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Sītā
• Cālakanandā
• Cakṣus
• Bhadrā

FAQs

What is the significance of the four names Sītā, Cālakanandā, Cakṣus, and Bhadrā in the Vishnu Purana?

They present a single underlying reality as four differentiated aspects, mapped through directional distinctions and specific modes of motion within the ordered cosmos.

How does Sage Parāśara explain unity and multiplicity in this cosmological context?

He states that the principle is one in essence (ekā eva) yet described as fourfold (caturbhedā) because its functions appear distinct when viewed through direction (dig-bheda) and movement (gati).

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

The verse supports a Vaishnava view of cosmic order: multiplicity in the world is a structured manifestation within a single, sovereign reality ultimately grounded in Vishnu’s supreme governance.