Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 1

Dhruva-loka as the Cosmic Pivot and the Śiśumāra-cakra

Viṣṇu’s Astral Form

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच अथ तस्मात्परतस्त्रयोदशलक्षयोजनान्तरतो यत्तद्विष्णो: परमं पदमभिवदन्ति यत्र ह महाभागवतो ध्रुव औत्तानपादिरग्निनेन्द्रेण प्रजापतिना कश्यपेन धर्मेण च समकालयुग्भि: सबहुमानं दक्षिणत: क्रियमाण इदानीमपि कल्पजीविनामाजीव्य उपास्ते तस्येहानुभाव उपवर्णित: ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca atha tasmāt paratas trayodaśa-lakṣa-yojanāntarato yat tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam abhivadanti yatra ha mahā-bhāgavato dhruva auttānapādir agninendreṇa prajāpatinā kaśyapena dharmeṇa ca samakāla-yugbhiḥ sabahu-mānaṁ dakṣiṇataḥ kriyamāṇa idānīm api kalpa-jīvinām ājīvya upāste tasyehānubhāva upavarṇitaḥ.

Translation

ଶ୍ରୀଶୁକ କହିଲେ—ହେ ରାଜନ୍, ସପ୍ତର୍ଷିଲୋକରୁ ଉପରେ ତେର ଲକ୍ଷ ଯୋଜନ ଦୂରେ ଯେ ସ୍ଥାନକୁ ପଣ୍ଡିତମାନେ ଭଗବାନ ବିଷ୍ଣୁଙ୍କ ପରମ ପଦ ବୋଲି କହନ୍ତି। ସେଠାରେ ଉତ୍ତାନପାଦଙ୍କ ପୁତ୍ର ମହାଭାଗବତ ଧ୍ରୁବ ମହାରାଜ କଳ୍ପାନ୍ତ ପର୍ଯ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଜୀବିତ ଥିବା ପ୍ରାଣୀମାନଙ୍କ ପ୍ରାଣାଧାର ଭାବେ ଆଜି ମଧ୍ୟ ବସନ୍ତି। ଅଗ୍ନି, ଇନ୍ଦ୍ର, ପ୍ରଜାପତି, କଶ୍ୟପ ଓ ଧର୍ମ ସେଠାକୁ ଆସି ସମ୍ମାନରେ ନମସ୍କାର କରନ୍ତି ଏବଂ ଡାହାଣ ପାର୍ଶ୍ୱ ରଖି ପ୍ରଦକ୍ଷିଣ କରନ୍ତି। ଧ୍ରୁବଙ୍କ ମହିମା ମୁଁ ପୂର୍ବେ ବର୍ଣ୍ଣନା କରିଛି।

Synonyms

• śrī-śukaḥ: Śrī Śuka
• śrī-śukaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī-śuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (śrī + śuka)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• tasmāt: from that
• tasmāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• parataḥ: beyond
• parataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paratas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक/अधिकरणार्थ (beyond/further)

• trayodaśa-lakṣa-yojana-antarataḥ: at a distance of thirteen lakh yojanas
• trayodaśa-lakṣa-yojana-antarataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: trayodaśa + lakṣa + yojana + antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् पञ्चमी-अर्थे अव्यय (distance-from); तत्पुरुष-समास (antarataḥ = 'at a distance of')

• yat: which
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; निर्देश

• viṣṇoḥ: of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• padam: abode/position
• padam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• abhivadanti: they describe/speak of
• abhivadanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhivad (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (where)

• ha: indeed
• ha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis/indeed)

• mahā-bhāgavataḥ: the great devotee
• mahā-bhāgavataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + bhāgavata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास

• dhruvaḥ: Dhruva
• dhruvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• auttānapādiḥ: son of Uttānapāda
• auttānapādiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: auttānapādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; patronymic (उत्तानपादस्य अपत्यं)

• agninā: with Agni
• agninā: Sahakāraka/Instrument (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• indreṇa: with Indra
• indreṇa: Sahakāraka/Instrument (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• prajāpatinā: with Prajāpati
• prajāpatinā: Sahakāraka/Instrument (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajāpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• kaśyapena: with Kaśyapa
• kaśyapena: Sahakāraka/Instrument (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaśyapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• dharmeṇa: with Dharma
• dharmeṇa: Sahakāraka/Instrument (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• samakāla-yugbhiḥ: with those of the same time/age (contemporaries)
• samakāla-yugbhiḥ: Sahakāraka/Instrument (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sama + kāla + yug (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (samakāla = 'same-time')

• sa-bahu-mānam: with much reverence
• sa-bahu-mānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa + bahu + māna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; उपसर्गार्थक 'sa-' = 'with'; विशेषण (with great respect)

• dakṣiṇataḥ: to the south/right
• dakṣiṇataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dakṣiṇatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक (to the south/right side)

• kriyamāṇaḥ: being performed
• kriyamāṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त (Present Passive Participle/शानच्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'being done/being performed'

• idānīm: now
• idānīm: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: idānīm (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (now)

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि = 'also/even'

• kalpa-jīvinām: of those who live for a kalpa
• kalpa-jīvinām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalpa + jīvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास

• ājīvya: as livelihood / by living
• ājīvya: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + jīv (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/त्वान्त), 'having lived/maintaining life'; here adverbially 'as livelihood/for sustenance' (usage)

• upāste: worships/serves
• upāste: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upās (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• tasya: of him/of that
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• iha: here
• iha: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (here)

• anubhāvaḥ: glory/power
• anubhāvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anubhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• upavarṇitaḥ: has been described
• upavarṇitaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa + varṇ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'has been described'

Characters & Entities

• Dhruva Mahārāja
• Uttānapāda
• Viṣṇu
• Agni
• Indra
• Kaśyapa
• Dharma

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about Viṣṇu’s supreme abode (paramaṁ padam)?

This verse states that beyond the described region lies the supreme position of Lord Viṣṇu, revered by the wise as the highest destination.

Why is Dhruva Mahārāja mentioned in the cosmology of Canto 5?

Śukadeva highlights Dhruva’s exalted, enduring position near the Lord’s supreme abode, showing how a perfected devotee is honored and central within the universe’s sacred order.

What is a practical lesson from Dhruva’s glorification in Bhagavatam 5.23.1?

Steady devotion and single-minded worship of the Lord can elevate one beyond ordinary fame—toward lasting spiritual honor and nearness to Viṣṇu.