Shloka 31

The Appearance of Lord Viṣṇu (Kṛṣṇa) and the Divine Exchange with Yoga-māyā

Devanagari script

विश्वं यदेतत् स्वतनौ निशान्ते यथावकाशं पुरुष: परो भवान् । बिभर्ति सोऽयं मम गर्भगोऽभू- दहो नृलोकस्य विडम्बनं हि तत् ॥ ३१ ॥

Transliteration

viśvaṁ yad etat sva-tanau niśānte yathāvakāśaṁ puruṣaḥ paro bhavān bibharti so ’yaṁ mama garbhago ’bhūd aho nṛ-lokasya viḍambanaṁ hi tat

Translation

At the time of devastation the entire cosmos, with all moving and nonmoving beings, enters Your transcendental body and is held there effortlessly; You are the Supreme Puruṣa. Yet now that same transcendental form has taken birth from my womb—alas, the people of this world will not believe it, and I shall become an object of ridicule.

Synonyms

• viśvam: the universe
• viśvam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• yat: which
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/relative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of viśvam)

• sva-tanau: in (your) own body
• sva-tanau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + tanu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘स्वा तनुः’ = in (your) own body

• niśānte: at night’s end
• niśānte: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘at the end of the night’

• yathā-ava-kāśam: as space allows; appropriately
• yathā-ava-kāśam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + avakāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमासः; अव्ययवत् (indeclinable adverbial) अर्थः ‘यथावकाशम्’ = as space permits/according to room

• puruṣaḥ: the Person (Supreme)
• puruṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• paraḥ: supreme
• paraḥ: Karta (कर्ता) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of puruṣaḥ)

• bhavān: you (honorific)
• bhavān: Karta (कर्ता) (apposition to puruṣaḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; आदरार्थक-सर्वनाम (honorific ‘you’)

• bibharti: bears; supports
• bibharti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhṛ (भृ धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• saḥ: he/that (same one)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (resumptive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ayam: this (one)
• ayam: Karta (कर्ता) (deictic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• garbha-gaḥ: gone into the womb; in the womb
• garbha-gaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: garbha (प्रातिपदिक) + ga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘गर्भं गतः’ = gone into the womb

• abhūt: became; was
• abhūt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• aho: ah! indeed!
• aho: Bhāva (भाव/interjection)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aho (अव्यय)
• Form: विस्मयार्थक-अव्यय (interjection of wonder)

• nṛ-lokasya: of the human world
• nṛ-lokasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘नॄणां लोकः’

• viḍambanam: a marvel; irony; mockery
• viḍambanam: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viḍambana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• hi: indeed; for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (indeed/for)

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (कर्ता) (subject/predicate reference)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (refers to the whole situation)

Purport

As explained in Caitanya-caritāmṛta, loving service to the Personality of Godhead is of two different kinds: aiśvarya-pūrṇa, full of opulence, and aiśvarya-śīthila, without opulence. Real love of Godhead begins with aiśvarya-śīthila, simply on the basis of pure love.

Characters & Entities

• Devaki
• Lord Krishna (Vishnu)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Lord containing the universe within Himself?

This verse states that at cosmic dissolution the Supreme Person holds the entire universe within His own body, yet the same Lord can also enter a devotee’s womb—showing His inconceivable potency.

Why did Devaki say this to Lord Krishna (Vishnu) in her womb?

After seeing the Supreme Lord appear before her, Devaki offers reverent praise, marveling that the all-containing Lord has chosen to become her child—an intimate divine arrangement.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

It encourages humility and devotion: the Supreme Reality is beyond logic, so one can approach God with reverence and trust, accepting that divine grace can appear in simple, personal ways.