Shloka 5
पौण्ड्रक-वधः, कृत्या-प्रशमनम्, वाराणसी-दाहः
स मेने वासुदेवो ऽहम् अवतीर्णो महीतले नष्टस्मृतिस् ततः सर्वं विष्णुचिह्नम् अचीकरत्
sa mene vāsudevo 'ham avatīrṇo mahītale naṣṭasmṛtis tataḥ sarvaṃ viṣṇucihnam acīkarat
لما انطمست ذاكرته توهّم: «أنا فاسوديفا، قد نزلتُ إلى الأرض»، ثم أخذ يزيّن نفسه بكل علامة وشارة منسوبة إلى فيشنو.
Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)
FAQs
In this verse, viṣṇu-cihna indicates the recognized insignia of Viṣṇu’s sovereignty; adopting them signals divine authority and identity, even when the character’s memory is obscured.
Parāśara uses naṣṭa-smṛti to show how delusion can veil clear self-knowledge, driving actions that imitate or externally assert divinity through symbols rather than inner realization.
The verse underscores Viṣṇu as the supreme reality whose signs define legitimate divine kingship and cosmic governance; Vāsudeva’s association with these marks reinforces Vaishnava supremacy within the Purāṇic worldview.