Tr. Thence may the gods increase us whence Vishnu strode the seven regions of the earth.
The highest Sun, Vishnu the supreme Lord is referred to.
ataḥ (indeclinable from etat) from here; it should be taken in the sense of that; for, that, tat, and which, yat, have a constant relation and the word yataḥ is mentioned later in the Rik; devāḥ the gods, Indra and others; naḥ us;avantu may they increase; yataḥ from which place, vişnuḥ (the termination nu on viş to pervade) the pervading God; prthivyāḥ (genetive denoting relation) of the earth; sapta seven (interchange of case); dhāmabhiḥ through stations; vicakrame superbly placed his steps, 'overstrode’ is the meaning.
The store of Light, from which station Vishnu extended and strode over the seven places of the earth is also the station of the gods who have that one fount. May they, severally manifest according to the difference in function, give us the progress in their keeping—this is the prayer.
We have said earlier that Universal Existence is of seven principles. Just as in the case of earth consisting of five elements, earth, etc., though other elements are latent, it is called earth because of the predominance of this element, similarly there are involved in earth the other worlds stationed above from bhuvar (Mid-region) to satya (world of Truth) governed by principles other than earth. Here this must be borne in mind. It is clearly stated in this Rik that the very starting station of Vishnu's ride is also the original station of the gods. Vishnu's prowess became patent through the seven regions of the earth. This means to say that Vishnu's stride victoriously attained access in all the seven stations, the planes of consciousness of the inner sacrificer, the Rishi. Let us state here the substance of these six Riks of Vishnu. The ancients have preferred to give some explanation of these with stories from the Puranas. But that is without savour; it is no elucidation but only a veilment, hence it is not considered here. In the first it is stated that the place of origin of Vishnu's stride is also of the gods. In the second it is sought to convey that Vishnu's stride is the cause of the birth of the Universe; in the third and the fourth, by the stride of Vishnu the Laws of this Universe are unveiled; in the last two it is intended to establish that even in the striding of the three worlds, the supreme step of Vishnu, denoted by the term tat, is visible to the eye of the wise Seer.