Shloka 15

The Greatness of Puruṣottama

Aṣṭākṣarī Maṇḍala-Pūjā and Nyāsa

Devanagari script

ललाटे वासुदेवस्तु शुक्लवर्णः समास्थितः । रक्तः संकर्षणश्चैव मुखे वह्न्यकसन्निभः ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

lalāṭe vāsudevastu śuklavarṇaḥ samāsthitaḥ | raktaḥ saṃkarṣaṇaścaiva mukhe vahnyakasannibhaḥ || 15 ||

Translation

Sur le front demeure Vāsudeva, établi dans une blancheur pure. Et Saṅkarṣaṇa, de couleur rouge, est pareillement présent sur le visage, rayonnant comme le feu et le soleil.

Word by Word

• ललाटे: on the forehead
• ललाटे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ललाट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• वासुदेवः: Vāsudeva
• वासुदेवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• शुक्लवर्णः: white-coloured
• शुक्लवर्णः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ल + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (शुक्लः वर्णः यस्य)

• समास्थितः: is stationed
• समास्थितः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + आ + स्था (धातु) → समास्थित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रक्तः: red
• रक्तः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• संकर्षणः: Saṅkarṣaṇa
• संकर्षणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकर्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Conjunction (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Particle (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (only/indeed)

• मुखे: in the mouth/face
• मुखे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• वह्न्यकसन्निभः: resembling fire
• वह्न्यकसन्निभः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वह्न्यक + सन्निभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वह्न्यकस्य सन्निभः = like fire)

Speaker

Narada (teaching/reciting a visualization of Vishnu’s forms in a sacred context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vasudeva
• Sankarshana
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It gives a precise dhyāna (meditative placement) of Viṣṇu’s vyūha-forms—Vāsudeva and Saṅkarṣaṇa—by assigning them locations and colors, helping the devotee stabilize the mind in sacred visualization.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

Bhakti here is practiced as focused remembrance (smaraṇa) and meditation (dhyāna): contemplating Vāsudeva’s purity (white) and Saṅkarṣaṇa’s fiery splendor (red) trains the devotee to see the Lord’s presence in every limb and perception.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It primarily reflects ritual-meditative application rather than a technical Vedāṅga; however, it aligns with śikṣā-style discipline of attention and recitation—using structured visualization to support mantra-japa and steadiness in worship.