Shloka 23

शिशुमार-रूपं, ध्रुवबन्धनम्, वृष्टिचक्र-पालनम्, नारायणाधारत्वम्

Devanagari script

आधारभूतः सवितुर् ध्रुवो मुनिवरोत्तम ध्रुवस्य शिशुमारो ऽसौ सो ऽपि नारायणाश्रयः

Transliteration

ādhārabhūtaḥ savitur dhruvo munivarottama dhruvasya śiśumāro 'sau so 'pi nārāyaṇāśrayaḥ

Translation

O best of sages, Dhruva—the Pole Star—stands as the supporting foundation even for the Sun’s course; and that Śiśumāra-constellation, belonging to Dhruva, rests likewise upon Nārāyaṇa as its ultimate refuge and ground.

Word by Word

• आधारभूतः: having become the support; the supporting one
• आधारभूतः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आधार + भूत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (आधारः भूतो यः); भूत (PPP of √भू) प्रयुक्तः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (ध्रुवः)

• सवितुः: of Savitṛ (the Sun)
• सवितुः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

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

• मुनिवरोत्तम: O best of excellent sages
• मुनिवरोत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + वर + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-समास (मुनिषु वरः, तेषु उत्तमः); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• ध्रुवस्य: of Dhruva
• ध्रुवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• शिशुमारः: Śiśumāra (celestial form/constellation)
• शिशुमारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिशुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• असौ: that one
• असौ: Karta (Apposition/समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अपि: also
• अपि: Avyaya (Modifier/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (also)

• नारायणाश्रयः: having Nārāyaṇa as refuge; dependent on Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणाश्रयः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नारायण + आश्रय (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (नारायणस्य आश्रयः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (सः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How celestial motions are supported—Dhruva as support for the sun, and Śiśumāra resting on Nārāyaṇa

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even the sun’s course depends on Dhruva, and Dhruva’s Śiśumāra constellation ultimately depends on Nārāyaṇa as the final ground.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Contemplate layered dependence—nature upon cosmic order, cosmic order upon the Lord—to deepen humility and steadiness in practice.

Vishishtadvaita: Nārāyaṇa is the ultimate ādhāra (support) of all cosmic supports, affirming the world’s real dependence on Him rather than illusion.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Dhruva
• Surya (Sun)
• Śiśumāra (celestial configuration)
• Nārāyaṇa (Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the significance of Dhruva in the Vishnu Purana’s cosmology?

This verse presents Dhruva as the stabilizing cosmic support for the Sun’s movement, making Dhruva the axis of celestial order rather than merely a star.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the idea of ultimate support in this passage?

Parāśara layers supports: the Sun’s course depends on Dhruva, Dhruva’s Śiśumāra-formation depends on something higher, and that final ground is Nārāyaṇa—establishing Vishnu as the supreme sustaining reality.

What is the theological importance of Nārāyaṇa here?

Nārāyaṇa is described as the āśraya (final refuge/support) even of cosmic structures, reinforcing a Vaishnava view that all cosmological order ultimately rests in Vishnu’s sovereignty.