Shloka 40

गृहस्थस्य सदाचारः: शौच, तर্পण, वैश्वदेव, अतिथिधर्म, भोजन-विधि, संध्योपासन, ऋतु-धर्मः

Devanagari script

नमो विवस्वते ब्रह्मन् भास्वते विष्णुतेजसे जगत्सवित्रे शुचये सवित्रे कर्मदायिने

Transliteration

namo vivasvate brahman bhāsvate viṣṇutejase jagatsavitre śucaye savitre karmadāyine

Translation

Salutations to Vivasvān, O Brahman—to the radiant one who is the very splendor of Viṣṇu; to Savitṛ, who impels and sustains the world, the purifier, the holy inspirer, the giver of the fruits of action.

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — indeclinable-like usage ‘salutation’

• विवस्वते: to Vivasvat (the Sun)
• विवस्वते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवस्वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन — dative ‘to Vivasvat (Sun)’

• ब्रह्मन्: O brahmin
• ब्रह्मन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — vocative ‘O brahmin/sage’

• भास्वते: to the radiant one
• भास्वते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भास्वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन — dative ‘to the radiant one’

• विष्णु: Viṣṇu
• विष्णु: Sambandha (Compound-member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग) — ‘Viṣṇu’ (first member)

• तेजसे: to the splendour (of Viṣṇu)
• तेजसे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन — dative ‘to the splendour’ (Viṣṇu-tejas)

• जगत्: world
• जगत्: Sambandha (Compound-member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग) — ‘world’

• सवित्रे: to the creator/impeller of the world
• सवित्रे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन — dative ‘to the impeller/creator (of the world)’

• शुचये: to the pure one
• शुचये: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन — dative ‘to the pure one’

• सवित्रे: to Savitṛ (Sun as impeller)
• सवित्रे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन — dative ‘to Savitṛ’

• कर्म: rites/actions
• कर्म: Sambandha (Compound-member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग) — ‘action/rite’

• दायिने: to the bestower
• दायिने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दायिन् (प्रातिपदिक; from √दा with णिनि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन — dative ‘to the giver/bestower (of rites)’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya within a solar hymn context)

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sūrya is praised as ‘Viṣṇu-tejas’—the solar deity functions as the manifest splendor and instrument of Viṣṇu, dispensing karmaphala and purifying beings.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Contemplate divine immanence in natural forces (sunlight, time, order) and align daily actions with ethical clarity, remembering accountability (karmaphala).

Vishishtadvaita: Explicit śeṣa-śeṣi relation: Sūrya’s brilliance and agency are dependent manifestations of Viṣṇu (Viṣṇu-tejas), supporting qualified non-dual immanence.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Vivasvan (Surya)
• Savitri (solar principle)

FAQs

What is the significance of Savitṛ (the solar impeller) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse venerates Savitṛ as the force that sets the world in motion and sustains it, presenting the Sun’s power as an expression of Vishnu’s sovereign radiance.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the link between karma and cosmic order here?

By calling the deity “karmadāyin,” the verse frames the solar principle as administering the results of action, aligning moral causality (karma-phala) with universal governance.

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

Vishnu is implied as the Supreme Reality whose tejas manifests as the Sun’s brilliance—so the hymn honors Surya while grounding that power in Vishnu’s ultimate sovereignty.