Shloka 44
एकोनविंशतिशिवावतारवर्णनम्
Description of the Nineteen Manifestations/Avatāras of Śiva
तदा षष्ठेन चांशेन कृष्णः पुरुषसत्तमः । वसुदेवसुतः श्रेष्ठो वासुदेवो भविष्यति
tadā ṣaṣṭhena cāṃśena kṛṣṇaḥ puruṣasattamaḥ | vasudevasutaḥ śreṣṭho vāsudevo bhaviṣyati
Then, with a sixth portion (of divine power), Kṛṣṇa—the best among men—will be born as the excellent son of Vasudeva, and will become known as Vāsudeva.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Role: nurturing
Cosmic Event: Yuga/avatāra coordination; partial manifestation (aṃśa) doctrine
FAQs
It frames Kṛṣṇa as an aṃśa (partial manifestation) within the Purāṇic order overseen by the Supreme, reminding devotees that divine descents occur by measured power for restoring dharma, while ultimate liberation is secured through the highest reality (Pati) and devotion.
By describing a divine aṃśa taking form and name, the verse supports the Shaiva view that the Supreme can be approached through saguna manifestations; similarly, the Liṅga is a saguna focus that leads the mind toward Shiva’s transcendent (nirguna) reality.
A practical takeaway is to steady devotion through nāma-japa and mantra practice—especially the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—while honoring divine manifestations as aids to dharma, supported by simple Shaiva disciplines like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa where appropriate.