Shloka 120

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

Devanagari script

श्रुताभिलषिता दृष्टा स्पृष्टा पीतावगाहिता या पावयति भूतानि कीर्तिता च दिने दिने

Transliteration

śrutābhilaṣitā dṛṣṭā spṛṣṭā pītāvagāhitā yā pāvayati bhūtāni kīrtitā ca dine dine

Translation

That sacred potency which purifies living beings—whether merely heard of, longed for, seen, touched, drunk, or entered by bathing—indeed, even when remembered and recited day after day, continually cleanses all creatures.

Word by Word

• श्रुता: heard of
• श्रुता: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुत (कृदन्त; √श्रु धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) — ‘heard of’

• अभिलषिता: desired
• अभिलषिता: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभिलषित (कृदन्त; √लष्/√लष्(लष्=desire) धातु, उपसर्गः अभि-)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) — ‘desired’

• दृष्टा: seen
• दृष्टा: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृष्ट (कृदन्त; √दृश् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) — ‘seen’

• स्पृष्टा: touched
• स्पृष्टा: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्पृष्ट (कृदन्त; √स्पृश् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) — ‘touched’

• पीता: drunk
• पीता: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीत (कृदन्त; √पा धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) — ‘drunk’

• अवगाहिता: immersed in
• अवगाहिता: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवगाहित (कृदन्त; √गाह् धातु, उपसर्गः अव-)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) — ‘bathed/immersed in’

• या: which (she)
• या: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम

• पावयति: purifies
• पावयति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पू (धातु; causative/णिजन्त)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; णिजन्त (causative)

• भूतानि: beings
• भूतानि: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• कीर्तिता: praised/recited
• कीर्तिता: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कीर्तित (कृदन्त; √कीर्त्/√कृत्? here √कीर्त् (to praise/mention) धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) — ‘praised/recited’

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात

• दिने: in a day
• दिने: अधिकरण (Locative/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• दिने: day by day
• दिने: अधिकरण (Locative/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (reduplication)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Modes of contact with the sacred (hearing/seeing/touching/drinking/bathing/remembering) and their purifying power

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The sacred purifies through multiple degrees of association, culminating in smaraṇa and kīrtana as continually cleansing practices.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Even without travel, cultivate daily remembrance and recitation of sacred names/places, using them to anchor conduct and inner purity.

Vishishtadvaita: Accessibility of grace: the Lord’s sanctifying presence extends through nāma–kīrtana and smaraṇa, affirming immanence while He remains supreme.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Sacred waters (tīrtha/jala)
• Bhūtas (living beings)

FAQs

What is the significance of sacred waters (tīrthas) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents tīrtha-sanctity as effective even at a distance: hearing of it, desiring it, seeing it, touching, drinking, bathing, and daily recitation are all said to purify beings.

How does Sage Parāśara explain purification in this context?

He frames purification as multi-layered—physical (touching, drinking, bathing) and mental-devotional (hearing, longing, remembering/reciting daily), emphasizing sustained practice rather than a single act.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when Vishnu is not named in the line, the Purana’s theology treats sacred places and waters as conduits of Vishnu’s sustaining purity; remembrance and kīrtana function as devotional access to the Supreme Reality that upholds dharma.