Shloka 14
Viṣṇupadī Gaṅgā: Descent, Cosmic Pathways, and Śiva’s Praise of Saṅkarṣaṇa
नवस्वपि वर्षेषु भगवान्नारायणो महापुरुष: पुरुषाणां तदनुग्रहायात्मतत्त्वव्यूहेनात्मनाद्यापि सन्निधीयते ॥ १४ ॥
navasv api varṣeṣu bhagavān nārāyaṇo mahā-puruṣaḥ puruṣāṇāṁ tad-anugrahāyātma-tattva-vyūhenātmanādyāpi sannidhīyate.
ในทั้งเก้าวรรษะนี้ เพื่อทรงเมตตาต่อภักตะของพระองค์ พระนารายณ์ผู้เป็นมหาบุรุษทรงแผ่พระองค์เป็นจตุรวยูหะ—วาสุเทวะ สังกัรษณะ ปรัทยุมน์ และอนิรุทธะ—และยังทรงสถิตใกล้ภักตะเพื่อรับการปรนนิบัติของเขา
In this connection, Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura informs us that the demigods worship the Supreme Lord in His various Deity forms ( arcā-vigraha ) because except in the spiritual world, the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be directly worshiped in person. In the material world, the Lord is always worshiped as the arcā-vigraha, or Deity in the temple. There is no difference between the arcā-vigraha and the original person, and therefore those who are engaged in worshiping the Deity in the temple in full opulence, even on this planet, should be understood to be directly in touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead without a doubt. As enjoined in the śāstras, arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhīr guruṣu nara-matiḥ: “No one should treat the Deity in the temple as stone or metal, nor should one think that the spiritual master is an ordinary human being.” One should strictly follow this śāstric injunction and worship the Deity, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without offenses. The spiritual master is the direct representative of the Lord, and no one should consider him an ordinary human being. By avoiding offenses against the Deity and the spiritual master, one can advance in spiritual life, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
FAQs
This verse states that in all nine varṣas the Supreme Lord Nārāyaṇa remains present, manifesting His expansions to grant mercy and reveal spiritual truth to the inhabitants.
Śukadeva emphasizes that Nārāyaṇa is the Supreme Person who, out of compassion, arranges divine manifestations (vyūhas) to guide conditioned souls toward realization of ātma-tattva.
It encourages seeking self-realization through devotion—remembering that the Lord actively helps sincere seekers by providing guidance, teachings, and inner clarity.