Shloka 153

Pracetās, Māriṣā, Dakṣa’s Re-manifestation, and the Brahma-parastava; Cyclic Creation and Genealogies

Devanagari script

शम्बरस्य च मायानां सहस्रम् अतिमायिनः यस्मिन् प्रयुक्तं चक्रेण कृष्णस्य वितथीकृतम्

Transliteration

śambarasya ca māyānāṃ sahasram atimāyinaḥ yasmin prayuktaṃ cakreṇa kṛṣṇasya vitathīkṛtam

Translation

The thousand deceptive illusions of Śambara, the great master of sorcery, which he unleashed, were rendered futile by Kṛṣṇa with His discus (cakra).

Word by Word

• śambarasya: of Śambara
• śambarasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śambara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• māyānām: of illusions/magic arts
• māyānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• sahasram: a thousand
• sahasram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• atimāyinaḥ: of the exceedingly magical one
• atimāyinaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + māyin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘अतिमायी’ = अत्यन्त-मायी (very magical)

• yasmin: in which/wherein
• yasmin: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• prayuktam: employed/used
• prayuktam: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra√yuj (धातु) + kta (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘सहस्रम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• cakreṇa: by the discus
• cakreṇa: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• kṛṣṇasya: of Kṛṣṇa
• kṛṣṇasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• vitathīkṛtam: rendered futile/made false
• vitathīkṛtam: Karma (Result state of object/कर्म-परिणाम)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi + tatha (प्रातिपदिक) + √kṛ (धातु) + kta
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘सहस्रम्/प्रयुक्तम्’ इत्यस्य परिणाम-वाचक विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Illustrations of the Lord’s supremacy over asuric powers and protections granted to the righteous.

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa descends to protect devotees and destroy asuric deception that threatens dharma.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Protection of sattva and truth by nullifying asuric sorcery through the Lord’s cakra.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Asuric māyā becomes futile before the Lord’s sovereign śakti, symbolized by the cakra.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: When confused by ‘māyā-like’ distractions, return to disciplined remembrance and discernment anchored in the Lord.

Vishishtadvaita: Māyā/śakti is subordinate to Bhagavān; the Lord’s will governs all powers, affirming His absolute lordship (śeṣitva).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Shambara

FAQs

What is the significance of Śambara’s “thousand māyās” in the Vishnu Purana?

They represent the peak of asuric deception—power that appears formidable but collapses when confronted by Bhagavān’s supreme authority.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the defeat of illusion (māyā) here?

By showing that demonic magic is contingent and limited, while Kṛṣṇa’s cakra embodies inviolable divine order that can invalidate all false appearances.

What is the theological importance of Kṛṣṇa in this context?

Kṛṣṇa is presented as the sovereign Lord whose will subordinates all powers; even perfected sorcery becomes untrue before the Supreme Reality.