Shloka 60

Devanagari script

वेदीमष्टनलोत्सेधां भूमावास्थाय विश्वकृत्‌ एकपादस्थितो देव ऊर्ध्वबाहुरुदड्मुख:

Transliteration

vedīm aṣṭa-nalotsedhāṁ bhūmāv āsthāya viśvakṛt | ekapāda-sthito devo ūrdhva-bāhur udaṅmukhaḥ ||

Translation

Nārada disse: “O Criador do universo preparou no chão um altar sagrado, elevado à altura de oito medidas, e permaneceu sobre ele apoiado num só pé. Com os braços erguidos e o rosto voltado para o norte, o deus manteve-se numa postura de austera concentração — imagem de disciplina e firmeza inabalável, fundamento da conduta justa.”

Word by Word

वेदीम्altar/platform

अष्टनलोत्सेधाम्having a height of eight reeds

भूमौon the ground

आस्थायhaving mounted/standing upon

विश्वकृत्the maker of the universe

एकपादस्थितःstanding on one foot

देवःthe god

ऊर्ध्वबाहुःwith arms raised upward

उदङ्मुखःfacing north

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

Viśvakṛt (the Creator)

vedī (altar)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights tapas (austerity) as disciplined self-restraint: steadfast posture, controlled orientation, and ritual setting symbolize inner firmness and ethical resolve that support dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada describes the Creator performing a severe ascetic observance: he mounts a raised altar, stands on one foot, lifts his arms, and faces north—depicting a formal, intense act of concentration and penance.