Shloka 19

Devanagari script

विद्यासहायवान्‌ देवो विष्वक्सेनो हरि:प्रभु: । अप्स्वेव शयनं चक्रे निद्रायोगमुपागतः,उस अवस्थामें विद्याशक्तिसे सम्पन्न सर्वव्यापी भगवान्‌ श्रीहरिने योगनिद्राका आश्रय लेकर जलमें शयन किया

Transliteration

vidyāsahāyavān devo viśvakseno hariḥ prabhuḥ | apsv eva śayanaṃ cakre nidrāyogam upāgataḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Endowed with the supporting power of sacred knowledge, the all-pervading Lord Hari—master and leader of all hosts—entered the state of yogic sleep and made the waters His couch.

Word by Word

विद्याby/with knowledge (vidyā)

सहायवान्possessing help/assistance; endowed with an ally

देवःthe god

विष्वक्सेनःViṣvaksena (name/epithet)

हरिःHari (Viṣṇu)

प्रभुःthe lord

अप्सुin the waters

एवindeed/just

शयनम्lying down; bed; sleep (as an act)

चक्रेmade/did; took (to)

निद्राof sleep

योगम्union/state; yogic trance

उपागतःhaving attained/entered

Speaker

वैशग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Hari (Viṣṇu)

Viśvaksena (epithet of Viṣṇu)

the waters (āpaḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents divine power as inseparable from vidyā (wisdom) and yoga (inner discipline). Ethical authority is grounded not merely in might but in self-mastery and the capacity to sustain cosmic order through controlled withdrawal (yoganidrā).

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates that Lord Hari (Viṣṇu), described as Viśvaksena, enters yoganidrā and lies upon the waters—an image of the Lord’s poised repose that precedes or accompanies cosmic regulation and protection.