Shloka 18
The Greatness of Puruṣottama
Aṣṭākṣarī Maṇḍala-Pūjā and Nyāsa
उपरिष्टात्तु वैंकुठो वाराहः पृथिवीतले । अवांतरदिशो यास्तु तासु सर्वासु माधवः ॥ १८ ॥
upariṣṭāttu vaiṃkuṭho vārāhaḥ pṛthivītale | avāṃtaradiśo yāstu tāsu sarvāsu mādhavaḥ || 18 ||
उपरिष्टाद् वैकुण्ठः, पृथिवीतले वराहः। अवान्तरदिशासु सर्वासु माधवः सन्निहितः॥
Narada
Vrata: none
Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"adbhuta","secondary_rasa":"bhakti","emotional_journey":"From vertical cosmic placement (Vaikuṇṭha above) to terrestrial incarnation (Varāha on earth) and then to total directional omnipresence (Mādhava everywhere in between)."}
FAQs
It teaches Vishnu’s all-pervading sovereignty: His supreme abode is Vaikuṇṭha, His protective manifestation sustains the earth as Varāha, and His presence extends through every intermediate direction as Mādhava—making devotion (smaraṇa) possible everywhere.
By mapping the Lord to the cosmos and directions, the verse supports constant remembrance: wherever the devotee stands—above, on earth, or facing any direction—Vishnu is to be contemplated and worshipped through His names and forms.
It aligns with Jyotiṣa and ritual orientation (dik-vicāra): directional awareness used in worship, pilgrimage practice, and temple/altar orientation—framed here not around minor deities but around Vishnu’s names and manifestations.