Shloka 5

Devanagari script

उत्तानपादपुत्रस् तु तम् आराध्य जगत्पतिम् सताराशिशुमारस्य ध्रुवः पुच्छे व्यवस्थितः

Transliteration

uttānapādaputras tu tam ārādhya jagatpatim satārāśiśumārasya dhruvaḥ pucche vyavasthitaḥ

Translation

Uttānapāda’s son, having worshipped the Lord of the universe, became Dhruva—fixed in the heavens at the tail of the starry Śiśumāra.

Word by Word

• उत्तानपादपुत्रः: the son of Uttānapāda (Dhruva)
• उत्तानपादपुत्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तानपाद (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (उत्तानपादस्य पुत्रः)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक ‘but/indeed’

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आराध्य: having worshipped
• आराध्य: Kriya-viseshana (Gerundial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-राध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having worshipped/propitiated’

• जगत्पतिम्: the lord of the world
• जगत्पतिम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जगतः पतिः)

• सतारा: with stars
• सतारा: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/सह) + तारा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘स-’ उपपदपूर्वकः (with stars) — समासपूर्वपद (समस्तपदस्य अङ्ग)

• शिशुमारस्य: of the Śiśumāra (celestial form)
• शिशुमारस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिशुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

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

• पुच्छे: in the tail
• पुच्छे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुच्छ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• व्यवस्थितः: is situated/established
• व्यवस्थितः: Karta (Predicate adjective to subject/कर्तृसम्बन्धी विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + अव + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘स्थित’ = placed/established

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Sacred geography and the ordered structure of the heavens (Śiśumāra) and its supports.

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Through single-minded worship of the Jagat-pati, a finite being can attain an enduring, divinely ordained station within cosmic order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate steady daily devotion (japa, pūjā, vrata) with long-term constancy rather than episodic intensity.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord grants real, purposeful positions to individual selves within His ordered universe, preserving distinction while depending on Him.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Dhruva
• Uttānapāda
• Śiśumāra

FAQs

What is the significance of Dhruva being placed in the Śiśumāra’s tail in the Vishnu Purana?

It signifies Dhruva’s divinely granted immovability and function as a cosmic pivot (Pole Star) within the ordered constellation-form (Śiśumāra) upheld by Vishnu.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the result of Dhruva’s worship here?

Parāśara presents worship of the Jagatpati (Vishnu) as directly transformative: devotion culminates in a permanent, God-ordained station in the cosmos, not merely a worldly reward.

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

Vishnu is shown as the supreme sovereign who both receives devotion and regulates cosmic structure—granting Dhruva an eternal place, thereby linking bhakti with universal order.