Shloka 18

The Episode of Vena: Purification, the ‘Vāsudevābhidhā’ Hymn, and the Dharma of Charity

Times, Tīrthas, Worthy Recipients

Devanagari script

संकर्षति प्रजाश्चांते ह्यव्यक्ताय यतो विभुः । ततः संकर्षणो नाम्ना विज्ञेयः शरणागतैः

Transliteration

saṃkarṣati prajāścāṃte hyavyaktāya yato vibhuḥ | tataḥ saṃkarṣaṇo nāmnā vijñeyaḥ śaraṇāgataiḥ

Translation

Weil der allgegenwärtige Herr am Ende der Zeit alle Wesen in das Unmanifest zurückzieht, sollen die Zuflucht Suchenden Ihn daher unter dem Namen „Saṅkarṣaṇa“ erkennen.

Word by Word

• संकर्षति: draws together/withdraws
• संकर्षति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + कृष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• प्रजाः: creatures/subjects
• प्रजाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha-bodhaka (Connector/सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• अन्ते: at the end
• अन्ते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; कालाधिकरणे (locative of time)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• अव्यक्ताय: to the unmanifest (state/principle)
• अव्यक्ताय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक-प्रयोगे; चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; सम्प्रदानार्थे (dative: to the unmanifest)

• यतः: because/since
• यतः: Hetu (Cause marker/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/यदर्थक (since/because)

• विभुः: the Lord
• विभुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• ततः: therefore
• ततः: Hetu (Cause marker/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्-अर्थे (therefore/from that)

• संकर्षणः: Saṅkarṣaṇa
• संकर्षणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकर्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• नाम्ना: by name
• नाम्ना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; ‘नाम्ना’ = ‘नामेन’ (instrumental: by name)

• विज्ञेयः: is to be known
• विज्ञेयः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रियापद-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• शरणागतैः: by those who have taken refuge
• शरणागतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण + आगत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (शरणं आगताः = those who have taken refuge)

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice not provided in the excerpt)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रजाश्चांते = प्रजाः + च + अन्ते; ह्यव्यक्ताय = हि + अव्यक्ताय.

Characters & Entities

• Saṅkarṣaṇa
• Vibhu (the Lord)
• Avyakta (the Unmanifest)

FAQs

Who is “Saṅkarṣaṇa” in this verse?

Saṅkarṣaṇa is a divine designation of the Lord emphasizing His cosmic function of withdrawal: at the end of a cycle He draws all beings back into the Unmanifest (avyakta).

What does “Avyakta” (the Unmanifest) mean here?

Avyakta refers to the unmanifest state of nature/existence into which names and forms dissolve at pralaya; the verse describes reabsorption of creation into that unmanifest condition.

What devotional teaching is implied by “śaraṇāgataiḥ” (those who take refuge)?

The verse frames this cosmological truth as a point of refuge-based devotion: those who surrender are urged to recognize the Lord’s name and nature correctly, trusting His supreme control over creation and dissolution.