Shloka 49

Adhyaya 81 — Suratha and Samadhi Seek Sage Medhas; Introduction to Mahamaya and the Madhukaitabha Origin Account

Sanskrit

योगनिद्रां यदा विष्णुर्जगत्येकर्णवीकृते । आस्तीर्य शेषमभजत् कल्पान्ते भगवान् प्रभुः ॥

Transliteration

yoga-nidrāṃ yadā viṣṇur jagaty ekārṇavī-kṛte | āstīrya śeṣam abhajat kalpānte bhagavān prabhuḥ ||

Translation

Als Viṣṇu am Ende des Äons in den yogischen Schlaf einging und die Welt zu einem einzigen Ozean geworden war, ruhte der selige Herr auf Śeṣa.

Word by Word

• योग-निद्राम्: yoga-sleep (mystic slumber)
• योग-निद्राम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक) + निद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—योगस्य निद्रा

• यदा: when
• यदा: कालाधिकरण (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal conjunction)

• विष्णुः: Vishnu
• विष्णुः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• जगति: when the world (was)
• जगति: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• एक-अर्णवी-कृते: made into a single ocean (flooded)
• एक-अर्णवी-कृते: अधिकरणविशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्णव (प्रातिपदिक) + √कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP) ‘कृत’, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘जगति’ इत्यस्य विशेषण; समासः—एकः अर्णवः इव/रूपेण कृतम्

• आस्तीर्य: having spread/laid himself
• आस्तीर्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Gerundial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + √स्तॄ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• शेषम्: Shesha (the serpent)
• शेषम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अभजत्: resorted to/lay upon
• अभजत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + √भज् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कल्प-अन्ते: at the end of the aeon
• कल्प-अन्ते: कालाधिकरण (Temporal locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—कल्पस्य अन्ते

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रभुः: the master
• प्रभुः: कर्ता (Appositive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘भगवान्’ इत्यस्य समानाधिकरण/विशेषणभाव

Speakers

• Medhas Ṛṣi narrating to King Suratha (and Samādhi)

Primary Deities

• Viṣṇu
• Śeṣa/Ananta

Shakti Aspects

• Yoganidrā (Devī as the power of cosmic sleep) is being introduced

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Pralaya (dissolution)
• Yoga-nidrā
• Mythic theogony prelude

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Cosmic order cycles through manifestation and dissolution. The Lord’s yogic sleep symbolizes withdrawal of active governance; in such liminal times, disruptive forces arise—setting the stage for divine reawakening through Śakti.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Falls under Pratisarga/pralaya-adjacent cosmology (cyclic re-creation context) commonly embedded in Purāṇic narratives.

What is the esoteric significance?

Yoganidrā is not mere sleep but the power that suspends outward cognition; cosmically, it is the veil over activity at dissolution; inwardly, it mirrors the yogin’s withdrawal of senses prior to higher awakening.