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Shloka 48

Brahmā’s Curse, Four Births, and the Dharma of Shared Embodiment

Draupadī/Kṛṣṇā

Devanagari script

नीरक्षीरविविकं च हंसो वेत्ति न चापरः / अतः स्वभर्तृसंयोगं कृष्णादेहेन चिन्तयेत् कृष्णादेहेन्यगामित्वं नैव चिन्त्यं खगेश्वर

Transliteration

nīrakṣīravivikaṃ ca haṃso vetti na cāparaḥ / ataḥ svabhartṛsaṃyogaṃ kṛṣṇādehena cintayet kṛṣṇādehenyagāmitvaṃ naiva cintyaṃ khageśvara

Translation

Nur der haṁsa (der Unterscheidende) versteht es, Wasser von Milch zu trennen; kein anderer vermag es. Darum soll man die Vereinigung mit dem wahren Herrn, dem höchsten Gemahl, durch die Gestalt des „dunklen Leibes“ (Kṛṣṇa, des Höchsten) betrachten. O Herr der Vögel (Garuda), das Erreichen jenes Zustands durch Kṛṣṇas Leib darf niemals bezweifelt werden.

Word by Word
नीर-क्षीर-विविकम्discrimination between water and milk
नीर-क्षीर-विविकम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootनीर (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक) + विवेक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/निर्देश-तत्पुरुष (नीरस्य क्षीरस्य च विवेकः)
चand
च:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)
हंसःthe swan
हंसः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootहंस (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
वेत्तिknows
वेत्ति:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootविद् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन
नnot
न:
Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)
चand
च:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)
अपरःanother (person)
अपरः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअपर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम-स्वभाव (pronominal adjective used substantively)
अतःtherefore
अतः:
Hetu (हेतु)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअतः (अव्यय)
Formहेतु/तस्मात्-अर्थे अव्यय (therefore/from that)
स्व-भर्तृ-संयोगम्union with one’s own lord
स्व-भर्तृ-संयोगम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootस्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक) + संयोग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य भर्तुः संयोगः)
कृष्ण-देहेनby/with Krishna’s body
कृष्ण-देहेन:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootकृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कृष्णस्य देहः)
चिन्तयेत्should contemplate
चिन्तयेत्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootचिन्त् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन
कृष्ण-देहेनby/with Krishna’s body
कृष्ण-देहेन:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootकृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष
अगामित्वम्non-going/immobility (state of not going)
अगामित्वम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootअगामित्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक-प्रत्यय (abstract noun)
नnot
न:
Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय
एवindeed/only
एव:
Avadharana (अवधारण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic/only)
चिन्त्यम्to be thought/considered
चिन्त्यम्:
Vidhaya (विधेय/प्रेडिकेट)
TypeAdjective
Rootचिन्त्य (कृदन्त; चिन्त् धातु)
Formकृदन्त—तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययार्थे (gerundive: ‘to be thought’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)
खग-ईश्वरO lord of birds
खग-ईश्वर:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootखग (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (खगानाम् ईश्वरः)
Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Haṁsa-viveka (true discernment) leads to exclusive contemplation of the Lord; do not doubt attainment through Kṛṣṇa (the dark-bodied form).

Vedantic Theme: Viveka culminating in parā-bhakti; steadfast niṣṭhā dissolving saṁśaya (doubt) and duality.

Application: Practice discernment (separating essential from non-essential) and sustain exclusive devotion/meditation on the Lord; counter doubt with steady remembrance and scriptural trust.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.17.46 (ananyāgāmitva); Garuda Purana 3.17.47 (limits of embodied knowing; need for viveka)

Characters & Entities
G
Garuda
K
Kṛṣṇa
H
Haṁsa

FAQs

It symbolizes viveka—true spiritual discrimination—by which one separates the eternal (the Lord/soul’s goal) from the transient, and focuses the mind on union with the Supreme.

It points to liberation through contemplative remembrance of Kṛṣṇa/Vishnu—suggesting that beyond post-death descriptions and rites, decisive inner orientation toward the Lord is the sure path to the highest attainment.

Practice daily discernment and devotion: reduce attachment to the temporary, and cultivate steady remembrance/meditation on Vishnu (Kṛṣṇa) as the soul’s true refuge.

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