Dūrvāṣṭamī Vrata and Rohiṇī-Yukta Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī: Mantras, Arghya, and Viṣṇu-Nāma Salutations
सो ऽहं देवातिदुर्वृत्तस्त्राहि मां शोकसागरात् / पुष्कराक्ष ! निमग्नो ऽहं मह्तयज्ञानसागरे
so 'haṃ devātidurvṛttastrāhi māṃ śokasāgarāt / puṣkarākṣa ! nimagno 'haṃ mahtayajñānasāgare
ข้าพเจ้าเป็นผู้ประพฤติชั่วอย่างยิ่ง แม้ต่อเหล่าเทพด้วย โอ้ผู้มีเนตรดุจดอกบัว! โปรดช่วยข้าพเจ้าให้พ้นจากมหาสมุทรแห่งความโศก; ข้าพเจ้ากำลังจมอยู่ในมหาสมุทรแห่งอวิชชาอันไพศาล
A repentant sinner/devotee addressing Lord Vishnu (Puṣkarākṣa)
Concept: Avidyā is the drowning-force; deliverance comes through turning to the Lord (Puṣkarākṣa) with humility and surrender.
Vedantic Theme: Avidyā as bondage; śaraṇāgati and īśvara-kṛpā as the means to cross duḥkha; movement from tamas to sattva through devotion.
Application: Practice honest self-assessment without despair; pair repentance with steady japa/meditation on the lotus-eyed form; seek satsanga and scriptural study to reduce ignorance.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: recurring ‘sāgara’ metaphors for saṃsāra/duḥkha and the saving power of Hari (general motif)
This verse models confession of wrongdoing and wholehearted refuge in Vishnu, presenting surrender as the turning point from sorrow and spiritual downfall toward protection and upliftment.
It frames suffering as an 'ocean of sorrow' fueled by 'ignorance'; the implied path is recognition of one’s faults, awakening from ajñāna, and seeking divine refuge to cross beyond distress.
Practice honest self-assessment, reduce harmful actions, and adopt steady spiritual discipline (prayer, remembrance of Vishnu, ethical living) to weaken ignorance and the grief it generates.