Shloka 66

देवकी-विवाहः, आकाशवाणी, भूरभारावतरण-याचना, क्षीराब्धि-स्तुति, केशावतार-नियोजनम्

Devanagari script

अदृश्याय ततस् ते ऽपि प्रणिपत्य महात्मने मेरुपृष्ठं सुरा जग्मुर् अवतेरुश् च भूतले

Transliteration

adṛśyāya tatas te 'pi praṇipatya mahātmane merupṛṣṭhaṃ surā jagmur avateruś ca bhūtale

Translation

Then they too bowed in reverence to that great-souled One who had become unseen; the gods went to the ridge of Mount Meru, and thereafter descended again to the earth.

Word by Word

• अदृश्याय: to the invisible (one)
• अदृश्याय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अदृश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः (दत्तिव/सम्प्रदान), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (to the invisible one)

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; काल/क्रमवाचक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (then/thereafter)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम (they)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपातः (also/even)

• प्रणिपत्य: having bowed down
• प्रणिपत्य: Kriya (Gerundial action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (gerund); पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having bowed down)

• महात्मने: to the great-souled (one)
• महात्मने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (to the great-souled one)

• मेरुपृष्ठम्: the back/slope of Mount Meru
• मेरुपृष्ठम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेरु + पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मेरोः पृष्ठम्)

• सुराः: the gods
• सुराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (the gods)

• जग्मुः: went
• जग्मुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• अवतेरुः: descended
• अवतेरुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-√तॄ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (and)

• भूतले: on the earth
• भूतले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (on the earth/ground)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Mount Meru
• Earth (Bhūtala)

FAQs

What is the significance of Mount Meru in the Vishnu Purana?

Meru functions as the cosmic center and divine vantage-point; the devas’ movement to Meru signals a return to the ordered, celestial axis of governance after a theophany.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Lord becoming ‘adṛśya’ (unseen)?

By noting the Lord’s disappearance from sight, the narration emphasizes transcendence—divinity is not limited to form or continuous visibility, even when it grants direct audience.

What is the theological importance of this scene for Lord Vishnu’s supremacy?

The devas’ prostration and the Lord’s becoming unseen together underline sovereign transcendence: the Supreme can be personally approached, yet remains beyond sensory grasp and worldly constraint.