Shloka 34
गोवर्धनोत्तरविस्मयः, रासलीलाप्रसङ्गः, तथा सर्वव्याप्तिवेदान्तोपदेशः
अत्रोपविश्य सा तेन कापि पुष्पैर् अलंकृता अन्यजन्मनि सर्वात्मा विष्णुर् अभ्यर्चितो यया
atropaviśya sā tena kāpi puṣpair alaṃkṛtā anyajanmani sarvātmā viṣṇur abhyarcito yayā
Seated there, she was adorned by him with flowers. For in a former birth, it was she who had worshipped Viṣṇu—the indwelling Self of all—with reverent offerings.
Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)
Concept: Worship offered to Viṣṇu as the Sarvātmā (indwelling Self) bears fruit across births, ripening into present grace and auspiciousness.
Vedantic Theme: Atman
Application: Sustain daily offerings (mantra, flowers, service) with the long view that devotion matures over time, even beyond a single lifetime.
Vishishtadvaita: Sarvātmā language aligns with Viśiṣṭādvaita: the Lord indwells all beings as their inner ruler while remaining distinct and worthy of worship.
Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman
Bhakti Type: Shanta
Antaryamin: Yes
FAQs
This verse frames Vishnu as the inner Self present in all beings, reinforcing his status as the supreme, all-pervading reality whose worship reaches the deepest ground of existence.
Parāśara attributes her present honor and adornment to prior-birth worship of Vishnu, presenting devotion as a trans-temporal cause whose effects can mature in later lives.
Vishnu is depicted as the supreme recipient of worship and the universal inner ruler; devotion to him is shown to generate enduring merit and divine favor across the cycle of births.