Shloka 68

कालियदमना: यमुनाशुद्धिः, करुणा-निग्रहः, स्तुति-तत्त्वम्

Devanagari script

सो ऽहं ते देवदेवेश नार्चनादौ स्तुतौ न च सामर्थ्यवान् कृपामात्रमनोवृत्तिः प्रसीद मे

Transliteration

so 'haṃ te devadeveśa nārcanādau stutau na ca sāmarthyavān kṛpāmātramanovṛttiḥ prasīda me

Translation

O Lord of lords, God of gods—such as I am, I have no true strength for worship, for offerings, or even for fitting praise. My mind can only turn toward You with the bare impulse of seeking Your mercy; be gracious to me.

Word by Word

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

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; Dative singular

• देवदेवेश: O Lord of the gods
• देवदेवेश: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव+देव+ईश (प्रातिपदिक); देवदेवेश (समास)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; 'lord of the gods'

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय; negation

• अर्चनादौ: in worship and the like
• अर्चनादौ: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्चना+आदि (प्रातिपदिक); अर्चनादि (समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; Locative singular; 'in worship etc.'

• स्तुतौ: in praise
• स्तुतौ: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; Locative singular

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय; negation

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय; conjunction

• सामर्थ्यवान्: capable
• सामर्थ्यवान्: Pratishedha-visheshya (Predicate/विशेष्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सामर्थ्यवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular; predicate adjective to अहम्

• कृपामात्रमनोवृत्तिः: (I am) one whose mind is only (set on) mercy
• कृपामात्रमनोवृत्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृपा+मात्र+मनस्+वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक); कृपामात्रमनोवृत्ति (समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular; 'one whose mental disposition is only (towards) mercy'

• प्रसीद: be pleased
• प्रसीद: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+सद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; be gracious

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (Beneficiary/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; Dative singular

Speaker

A devotee-supplicant addressing Lord Vishnu (as Devadevesha) within Parasara’s narration to Maitreya

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To accept the helpless devotee’s surrender and respond to mere mercy-seeking as sufficient approach.

Leela: Moksha-dana

Dharma Restored: Affirming grace (kṛpā) and śaraṇāgati as the sure means when ritual/praise are inadequate.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When one lacks competence for ritual or eloquent praise, a mind turned solely toward divine mercy is itself a valid offering.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Cultivate humility and daily surrender: admit limitations, ask for guidance, and offer simple remembrance rather than perfectionism.

Vishishtadvaita: Grace-centered approach: the Lord’s acceptance, not the soul’s capacity, is decisive—yet the soul’s turning toward Him is real and personal.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of divine grace in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The verse frames spiritual success as depending primarily on Vishnu’s mercy, not on the devotee’s ritual skill or eloquence.

How does Parasara’s narrative emphasize devotion over ritual in this passage?

By presenting a speaker who admits incapacity for formal worship and praise, the text elevates sincere inner turning (manovṛtti) toward Vishnu as the essential act.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu being called Devadevesha here?

It asserts Vishnu’s sovereignty above all deities, aligning with Vaishnava doctrine that Vishnu is the Supreme Reality who grants grace to devotees.