Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 8

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

Viṣṇu’s Astral Form

Devanagari script

एतदु हैव भगवतो विष्णो: सर्वदेवतामयं रूपमहरह: सन्ध्यायां प्रयतो वाग्यतो निरीक्षमाण उपतिष्ठेत नमो ज्योतिर्लोकाय कालायनायानिमिषां पतये महापुरुषायाभिधीमहीति ॥ ८ ॥

Transliteration

etad u haiva bhagavato viṣṇoḥ sarva-devatāmayaṁ rūpam aharahaḥ sandhyāyāṁ prayato vāgyato nirīkṣamāṇa upatiṣṭheta namo jyotir-lokāya kālāyanāyānimiṣāṁ pataye mahā-puruṣāyābhidhīmahīti.

Translation

ହେ ରାଜନ, ଏଭଳି ବର୍ଣ୍ଣିତ ଶିଶୁମାରର ଦେହକୁ ସମସ୍ତ ଦେବତାମୟ ଭଗବାନ ବିଷ୍ଣୁଙ୍କର ବାହ୍ୟ ରୂପ ବୋଲି ଭାବିବା ଉଚିତ। ପ୍ରତିଦିନ ପ୍ରାତଃ, ମଧ୍ୟାହ୍ନ ଓ ସନ୍ଧ୍ୟାବେଳେ—ମନ ଓ ବାଣୀକୁ ସଂଯମ କରି—ଏହି ରୂପକୁ ନିରବରେ ଦର୍ଶନ କରି ଉପାସନା କର; ଏହି ମନ୍ତ୍ରରେ ନମସ୍କାର କର: “ଜ୍ୟୋତିର୍ଲୋକର ଆଶ୍ରୟ, କାଳସ୍ୱରୂପ, ଗ୍ରହଗତିର ଆଧାର, ଦେବମାନଙ୍କର ପତି, ମହାପୁରୁଷ! ଆପଣଙ୍କୁ ନମସ୍କାର; ଆମେ ଆପଣଙ୍କୁ ଧ୍ୟାନ କରୁଛୁ।”

Synonyms

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• उ: indeed (particle)
• उ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उ (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• ह: surely
• ह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; emphasis

• भगवतः: of the Lord
• भगवतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

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

• सर्व-देवता-मयम्: consisting of all deities
• सर्व-देवता-मयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + देवता (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; qualifying rūpam

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• अहर्-अहः: daily
• अहर्-अहः: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव (reduplication); अव्यय; adverb 'day by day/always'

• सन्ध्यायाम्: at twilight
• सन्ध्यायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्ध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• प्रयतः: being purified/attentive
• प्रयतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-यत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'disciplined/purified' (agreeing with implied practitioner)

• वाक्-यतः: restrained in speech
• वाक्-यतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाक् (प्रातिपदिक) + यत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'restrained in speech'

• निरीक्षमाणः: observing
• निरीक्षमाणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'while observing'

• उपतिष्ठेत: should worship/attend upon
• उपतिष्ठेत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-स्था (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नमस्कारार्थे अव्ययप्रयोग (indeclinable interjection)

• ज्योतिः-लोकाय: to the world of light
• ज्योतिः-लोकाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास; पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन

• कालायनाय: to Time (the course of time)
• कालायनाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + अयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; 'to Time’s course/Time'

• अनिमिषाम्: of the gods
• अनिमिषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनिमिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; 'of the gods (unblinking ones)'

• पतये: to the Lord/master
• पतये: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन

• महापुरुषाय: to the Great Person
• महापुरुषाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास; पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन

• अभिधीमहि: we meditate/utter (as a formula)
• अभिधीमहि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-धा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्तिसूचक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Mahā-Puruṣa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about worship at sandhya (twilight)?

This verse advises that at twilight one should be purified, control speech, steadily gaze upon Viṣṇu’s all-deity-comprising cosmic form, and worship Him with a prayer of meditation.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe Viṣṇu as ‘sarva-devatāmaya’ (containing all devas)?

In the cosmological context of Canto 5, the luminaries and their presiding powers are presented as dependent on the Supreme; thus Viṣṇu is honored as the source and integrated form in whom all divine administrations rest.

Practical application of controlling speech and meditating daily in modern life?

Set a brief dawn/dusk routine: quiet the phone and speech for a few minutes, contemplate the Lord as the light behind all order and time, and offer a simple prayer—building steadiness, gratitude, and devotion.