Shloka 55

Devanagari script

स तु राजा तया सार्धं देवदेवं जनार्दनम् आराधयाम् आस विभुं परमेण समाधिना

Transliteration

sa tu rājā tayā sārdhaṃ devadevaṃ janārdanam ārādhayām āsa vibhuṃ parameṇa samādhinā

Translation

That king, together with her, worshipped Janārdana—the God of gods, the all-sovereign Lord—adoring Him in the highest absorption of samādhi.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तु: indeed, however
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• तया: with her
• तया: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सार्धम्: together with
• सार्धम्: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक-अव्यय (indeclinable of accompaniment)

• देवदेवम्: the God of gods
• देवदेवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'god of gods'

• जनार्दनम्: Janārdana (Vishnu)
• जनार्दनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; नाम (Vishnu)

• आराधयाम्: worshipped (in periphrastic perfect construction)
• आराधयाम्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + राध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-परिप्रयोगे (periphrastic perfect) कृदन्त-अव्ययभाव/आमन्त-रूप: 'आराधयाम्' (perfect auxiliary construction)

• आस: did/was (auxiliary)
• आस: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; सहायक-क्रिया (auxiliary)

• विभुम्: the all-pervading Lord
• विभुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; विशेष्य-नाम

• परमेण: with supreme
• परमेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; विशेषण

• समाधिना: concentration, meditative absorption
• समाधिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समाधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How devotion (ārādhana) performed with concentrated samādhi shapes destiny and dharma.

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Janārdana is worshipped most fittingly through concentrated absorption (samādhi) joined to devotion.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Set aside daily time for undistracted japa/dhyāna, treating worship as focused presence rather than mere ritual completion.

Vishishtadvaita: Personal Lord (Janārdana/Nārāyaṇa) is the proper object of samādhi—bhakti is not impersonal absorption but God-centered communion.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: Bhagavad-ārādhana (devotional kingship)

Key Kings: Śatadhanu, Śaibyā

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Janardana (Vishnu)
• Devadeva (Lord of gods)
• The King
• The Queen/Consort (tayā)

FAQs

What is the significance of samādhi-worship in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents worship not merely as ritual but as supreme inner absorption, showing that the highest devotion culminates in concentrated contemplation of Vishnu (Janārdana) as the all-pervading Lord.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the ideal conduct of a king in this narrative?

By depicting the king worshipping Vishnu with his consort and with ‘parameṇa samādhinā,’ Parāśara frames righteous kingship as grounded in devotion and inward discipline, not only political power.

What is the theological importance of calling Vishnu ‘Devadeva’ and ‘Vibhu’ here?

The titles assert Vishnu’s supremacy over all gods and His all-pervading sovereignty, aligning the narrative with Vaishnava philosophy where Janārdana is the ultimate refuge and highest reality.