Shloka 170
The Greatness of Puṣkara: Tripuṣkara Pilgrimage, Sacred Geography, and the Doctrine of Self-Restraint
विस्मयं परमं जग्मुस्स्तुतिभिश्चाप्यपूजयन् । त्वं नस्त्राता विधाता च लोकानां लोकभावनः । त्वत्प्रसादात्समुत्सेधमुपगच्छेत्समं जगत्
vismayaṃ paramaṃ jagmusstutibhiścāpyapūjayan | tvaṃ nastrātā vidhātā ca lokānāṃ lokabhāvanaḥ | tvatprasādātsamutsedhamupagacchetsamaṃ jagat
അവർ പരമ വിസ്മയത്തിൽ ആകുകയും സ്തുതികളാൽ പൂജിക്കുകയും ചെയ്തു— “നീ ഞങ്ങളുടെ ത്രാതാവും വിധാതാവും, ലോകങ്ങളെ പോഷിപ്പിക്കുന്നവനും ആകുന്നു. നിന്റെ പ്രസാദത്താൽ സമസ്ത ജഗത്ത് സമമായി അഭ്യുദയവും സമൃദ്ധിയും പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു।”
A group of devotees/sages (collective praise within the narrative; exact speaker not explicit in the provided shloka alone)
Concept: The universe flourishes through the Lord’s grace; praise and surrender recognize Him as both protector and ordainer.
Application: Begin undertakings with stuti and gratitude; interpret stability and growth as occasions for humility and service; cultivate reliance on divine grace rather than mere self-assertion.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A circle of sages and devotees stand with folded hands before the cosmic Lord, their faces lit by wonder as hymns rise like visible waves. Behind the deity, the universe appears as a balanced mandala—stars, worlds, and subtle elements aligning as if responding to His gentle breath.","primary_figures":["Vishnu (as Lokabhāvana)","assembled sages/devotees"],"setting":"A liminal cosmic pavilion: lotus-throne above a calm, star-strewn expanse, with faint outlines of the three worlds arranged harmoniously.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["sapphire blue","lotus pink","gold leaf","pearl white","emerald green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Vishnu as Lokabhāvana seated on a radiant lotus-throne, four-armed with śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-padma, devotees and sages in añjali around him, heavy gold leaf halo and aureole, rich crimson and emerald textiles, gem-studded crowns and ornaments, stylized cosmic mandala backdrop with gilded stars.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a serene Vishnu on a lotus against a cool indigo sky, delicate sages in white garments offering stuti, soft lyrical clouds and faint cosmic spheres, refined facial features, subtle gold accents, gentle naturalism with a contemplative mood.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined Vishnu with large expressive eyes and ornate crown, devotees in reverent poses, lotus motifs filling the background, natural pigment palette dominated by red, yellow, green, and black, temple-wall compositional symmetry and sacred geometry.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Vishnu-centered cosmic lotus composition with intricate floral borders, concentric lotuses and star motifs, attendants and sages arranged symmetrically, deep blue ground with gold highlights, peacocks and stylized vines framing the hymn-offering scene."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["temple bells","soft drone (tanpura)","conch shell (distant)","silence between phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: जग्मुस्स्तुतिभिः = जग्मुः + स्तुतिभिः; चाप्यपूजयन् = च + अपि + अपूजयन्; नस्त्राता = नः + त्राता; त्वत्प्रसादात्समुत्सेधम् = त्वत्-प्रसादात् + समुत्सेधम्; समुत्सेधमुपगच्छेत् = समुत्सेधम् + उपगच्छेत्; उपगच्छेत्समं = उपगच्छेत् + समम्
FAQs
The verse offers a general stuti to the supreme divine figure addressed as trātā (protector) and vidhātā (creator). The specific deity cannot be fixed from this shloka alone without surrounding verses.
It centers causality in divine prasāda (grace): the world’s uplift and well-being are said to arise “by your grace,” a classic Bhakti framing of cosmic order and human flourishing.
It implies humility and gratitude: recognizing a higher sustaining intelligence and responding through stuti (praise) and pūjā (reverent worship), rather than pride in one’s own power.