Shloka 9
Praise of Devotion to Viṣṇu
The Supremacy of Hari’s Name over All Tīrthas
प्रचंडं विकरालं तद्यमस्यास्यं न पश्यति । सकृत्प्रणामी कृष्णस्य मातुः स्तन्यं पिबेन्नहि
pracaṃḍaṃ vikarālaṃ tadyamasyāsyaṃ na paśyati | sakṛtpraṇāmī kṛṣṇasya mātuḥ stanyaṃ pibennahi
Wer sich auch nur ein einziges Mal vor Kṛṣṇa verneigt, erblickt nicht das grimmige, furchterregende Antlitz Yamas; wahrlich, ein solcher Mensch würde nie wieder die Milch von Kṛṣṇas Mutter trinken.
Unspecified narrator (contextual speaker not provided in the input excerpt)
Concept: Even a single act of surrender (sakṛt-praṇāma) to Kṛṣṇa breaks fear of death’s judgment; bhakti overrides karmic terror.
Application: Cultivate at least one daily conscious bow (praṇāma) to Kṛṣṇa/Viṣṇu with sincerity; use it as a reset from anxiety and guilt into accountable devotion.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A dark, stormy threshold of Yama’s court looms with iron gates and shadowy attendants, yet a single devotee bows with folded hands toward a radiant vision of Kṛṣṇa. The terrifying face of Yama fades into mist as Kṛṣṇa’s blue light expands, turning dread into calm certainty.","primary_figures":["Kṛṣṇa","Yama (shadowed, receding)","devotee (one-time bowing figure)","Yamadūtas (faint silhouettes)"],"setting":"Liminal space between a gloomy Yamaloka gate and a blossoming divine radiance; symbolic battlefield of fear and refuge.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance breaking through storm-darkness","color_palette":["midnight indigo","electric sapphire","smoky charcoal","molten gold","crimson ember"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Kṛṣṇa standing in tribhaṅga with gold leaf aura and ornate crown, foreground devotee in praṇāma; background Yama’s fierce visage rendered in darker tones with embossed gold highlights on weapons fading away; rich reds, greens, and heavy gold embellishment emphasizing protection.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: dramatic contrast—softly painted Kṛṣṇa glow against a dusky Yamaloka gate; delicate lines for the devotee’s bowed posture; misty mountains and clouds as metaphors, refined faces, restrained palette with luminous blue focal point.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized Yama with intense eyes in dark pigments, Kṛṣṇa in bright blue-green with yellow-red accents; devotee in simple pose; mural-like symmetry with protective aura motifs around Kṛṣṇa.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Kṛṣṇa centered with lotus and floral borders; the ‘fear’ elements stylized as dark cloud motifs at the edges; peacocks and lotuses reclaim the space as Yama recedes; deep blues and gold with intricate ornamentation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["distant thunder","conch shell","temple bells","sudden silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: tadyamasyāsyaṃ → तत् + यमस्य + आस्यम्; sakṛtpraṇāmī → सकृत् + प्रणामी; pibennahi → पिबेत् + न + हि
FAQs
It states that even a single act of reverent obeisance to Kṛṣṇa protects a devotee from encountering Yama’s terrifying presence—symbolizing freedom from fear of death and punishment.
It is a poetic impossibility used for emphasis: just as one cannot literally return to infancy to drink Yaśodā’s milk, so too it is “certainly not” that a person who has once surrendered to Kṛṣṇa will fall back into Yama’s domain.
It elevates a simple devotional act—bowing once to Kṛṣṇa—as spiritually decisive, highlighting grace and devotion over complex ritual or austerity.