Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 26

Dhruva’s Darśana, Transformative Prayers, and the Boon of the Dhruva-loka

Pole Star

Devanagari script

मैत्रेय उवाच इत्यर्चित: स भगवानतिदिश्यात्मन: पदम् । बालस्य पश्यतो धाम स्वमगाद्गरुडध्वज: ॥ २६ ॥

Transliteration

maitreya uvāca ity arcitaḥ sa bhagavān atidiśyātmanaḥ padam bālasya paśyato dhāma svam agād garuḍa-dhvajaḥ

Translation

Dijo Maitreya: Así, tras ser adorado y honrado por el niño Dhruva, y después de concederle Su propia morada, el Señor Viṣṇu, cuyo estandarte es Garuḍa, regresó a Su dhāma mientras Dhruva lo contemplaba.

Synonyms

• मैत्रेयः: Maitreya
• मैत्रेयः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject of ‘said’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: वाक्य-समाप्ति/उद्धरण (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (quotative particle)

• अर्चितः: having been worshipped
• अर्चितः: कर्ता (Karta; subject described)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अतिदिश्य: having bestowed/assigned
• अतिदिश्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अति-दिश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• आत्मनः: of himself
• आत्मनः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• पदम्: the position/abode
• पदम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बालस्य: of the boy
• बालस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive; of the boy)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पश्यतः: while (he was) watching
• पश्यतः: सम्बन्ध/अधिकरण (Circumstantial genitive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle, शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘while seeing’ (genitive absolute/participial genitive)

• धाम: to (his) abode
• धाम: कर्म (Karma/Object/Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वम्: his own
• स्वम्: कर्म (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (to धाम)

• अगात्: went
• अगात्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist/Imperfective past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• गरुडध्वजः: he whose banner is Garuḍa (Viṣṇu)
• गरुडध्वजः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (यस्य ध्वजः गरुडः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपाधि/विशेषण (epithet of भगवान्)

Purport

From this verse it appears that Lord Viṣṇu awarded Dhruva Mahārāja the same abode in which He resides. His abode is described in the Bhagavad-gītā (15.6) : yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama.

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Bhagavan (Lord Vishnu / Garuda-dhvaja)
• Dhruva (the boy)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about Lord Vishnu revealing His abode to a devotee?

This verse states that when the Lord is worshiped with devotion, He can reveal His own supreme abode (His dhāma) to the devotee—here, to the boy Dhruva as he watched.

Why is Lord Vishnu called Garuda-dhvaja in the Bhagavatam?

Garuḍa-dhvaja means “He whose banner bears Garuḍa,” identifying the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu and emphasizing His divine sovereignty and personal identity.

Practical application: what does this shloka teach a modern devotee?

It teaches steady worship and sincere bhakti: divine realization is not merely conceptual—God can personally guide and reveal higher spiritual reality to one who serves with faith.