Shloka 1

Devanagari script

एवम् अन्तर् जले विष्णुम् अभिष्टूय स यादवः अर्चयाम् आस सर्वेशं पुष्पधूपैर् मनोमयैः

Transliteration

evam antar jale viṣṇum abhiṣṭūya sa yādavaḥ arcayām āsa sarveśaṃ puṣpadhūpair manomayaiḥ

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ ജലത്തിനുള്ളിൽ വിഷ്ണുവിനെ സ്തുതിച്ച് ആ യാദവൻ സർവേശ്വരനെ ആരാധിക്കാൻ തുടങ്ങി; മനസ്സിൽ തന്നെ സൃഷ്ടിച്ച പുഷ്പവും ധൂപവും അർപ്പിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• अन्तः: within
• अन्तः: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरणार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्तर् (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक (adverb/preposition-like)

• जले: in the water
• जले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• विष्णुम्: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• अभिष्टूय: having praised
• अभिष्टूय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + स्तु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; धातु: स्तु (स्तुतौ) उपसर्गः अभि

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• यादवः: the Yādava (Akrūra)
• यादवः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यादव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अर्चयाम्: worshipped
• अर्चयाम्: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: अर्च् (पूजायाम्); परस्मैपद; रूपम्: अर्चयाम् (लिट्-प्रयोगः)

• आस: did/was (auxiliary)
• आस: Sahayaka-kriya (Auxiliary/सहायकक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: अस् (भुवि)

• सर्वेशम्: the Lord of all
• सर्वेशम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषाम् ईशः)

• पुष्पधूपैः: with flowers and incense
• पुष्पधूपैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प + धूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (पुष्पाणि च धूपाश्च)

• मनोमयैः: mental (made of mind)
• मनोमयैः: Visheshana (Qualifier of instrument/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनस् + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; तृतीया-सम्बन्धे विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुषः (मनसा मयाः = mental)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: As Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu dwells among the Yādavas so that devotees like Akrūra may directly behold and worship the supreme Lord even within ordinary settings such as a river.

Leela: Moksha-dana

Dharma Restored: Upholding bhakti as a valid and potent means of communion with the Lord beyond external ritual limitations.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: True worship can be internal (mānasa-pūjā), where the devotee offers mental flowers and incense with concentrated devotion to the all-Lord.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice a brief daily mānasa-pūjā—visualize offering fragrant flowers, incense, and prostration—especially when external worship is not possible.

Vishishtadvaita: Devotion is relational and personal: the Lord (sarveśa) receives offerings through the devotee’s inner intention while remaining the transcendent ruler.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Yadava

FAQs

What is the significance of mental offerings (manomaya) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse highlights that sincere inner devotion—offerings formed by the mind—can be valid worship when directed to Vishnu as Sarveśa, emphasizing bhakti over mere external ritual.

How does Sage Parāśara frame worship in the Vishnu Purana’s dialogue tradition?

Parāśara narrates exemplary acts of devotion to Maitreya, using concise scenes like this to show Vishnu’s supreme accessibility and the efficacy of heartfelt praise followed by worship.

What is the theological importance of calling Vishnu “Sarveśa” here?

“Sarveśa” affirms Vishnu’s status as the supreme sovereign reality—the ultimate Lord who receives worship—supporting the Purāṇa’s Vaishnava theology where all devotion culminates in Vishnu.