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Shloka 32

Viśvarūpa’s Death, Vṛtrāsura’s Manifestation, and the Devas’ Surrender to Nārāyaṇa

यत्ते गतीनां तिसृणामीशितु: परमं पदम् । नार्वाचीनो विसर्गस्य धातर्वेदितुमर्हति ॥ ३२ ॥

yat te gatīnāṁ tisṛṇām īśituḥ paramaṁ padam nārvācīno visargasya dhātar veditum arhati

O höchster Lenker, Du beherrschst die drei Bestimmungen—Aufstieg zu den Himmelswelten, Geburt als Mensch und Verdammnis in der Hölle—und doch ist Deine höchste Wohnstatt Vaikuṇṭha-dhāma. Da wir erst nach Deiner Schöpfung dieser kosmischen Manifestation erschienen sind, können wir Deine Handlungen nicht begreifen. Darum haben wir Dir nichts darzubringen als unsere demütigen Ehrerbietungen.

yatthat which
yat:
Karma (कर्म/Object—'that which')
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1) / Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); correlating relative pronoun
teof you/your
te:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Roottvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormGenitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)
gatīnāmof the courses/paths
gatīnām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootgati (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन)
tisṛṇāmof the three
tisṛṇām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Roottri (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन); numeral adjective qualifying gatīnām
īśituḥof the controller
īśituḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootīśitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)
paramamsupreme
paramam:
Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootparama (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/1 or द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies padam
padamabode/state
padam:
Karma (कर्म/Object—'supreme abode/state')
TypeNoun
Rootpada (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/1 or द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)
nanot
na:
Nishedha (निषेध/Negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormNegation particle (निषेध-निपात)
arvācīnaḥone who is on this side (a limited being)
arvācīnaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootarvācīna (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); used as substantive 'one who is on this side/nearer'
visargasyaof creation/emanation
visargasya:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootvisarga (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)
dhātaḥO creator (Dhātṛ)
dhātaḥ:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative address)
TypeNoun
Rootdhātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular (एकवचन)
veditumto know
veditum:
Karma (कर्म/Object of arhati—'to know')
TypeIndeclinable
Rootvid (धातु)
FormInfinitive (तुमुन्/तुमर्थ), from √vid
arhatiis able/deserves
arhati:
Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
TypeVerb
Rootarh (धातु)
FormPresent (लट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

An inexperienced man generally does not know what to beg from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Everyone is under the jurisdiction of the created material world, and no one knows what benediction to ask when praying to the Supreme Lord. People generally pray to be promoted to the heavenly planets because they have no information of Vaikuṇṭhaloka. Śrīla Madhvācārya quotes the following verse:

B
Brahmā
V
Viṣṇu

FAQs

This verse teaches that the Lord’s supreme position is beyond material comprehension—so exalted that even Brahmā, the cosmic creator, cannot fully know it.

Vṛtrāsura emphasizes the Lord’s inconceivable greatness: if Brahmā cannot completely understand Him, ordinary beings should approach the Lord with humility and devotion rather than pride in intellect.

It encourages humility—relying on sincere bhakti, prayer, and guidance from śāstra and saints, instead of assuming that God can be grasped fully by logic or status.