Shloka 24

प्रह्लादस्य अव्यभिचारिणी भक्ति, मायाविनाशः, तथा विष्णोः विश्वरूप-स्तुतिः

Devanagari script

हृदयस्थस् ततस् तस्य तं वायुम् अतिशोषणम् पपौ जनार्दनः क्रुद्धः स ययौ पवनः क्षयम्

Transliteration

hṛdayasthas tatas tasya taṃ vāyum atiśoṣaṇam papau janārdanaḥ kruddhaḥ sa yayau pavanaḥ kṣayam

Translation

Then Janārdana—abiding within him as the indwelling Lord—grew wrathful and drank up that fiercely desiccating wind. And so the wind itself was brought to exhaustion and ceased.

Word by Word

• हृदयस्थः: situated in the heart
• हृदयस्थः: Karta-visheshana (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सप्तमी: हृदये स्थितः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying जनार्दनः)

• ततः: then/from there
• ततः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादानार्थ/क्रमसूचक (from there/then)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); एकवचन

• तम्: that
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; वायुम् इत्यस्य विशेषण

• वायुम्: wind
• वायुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन

• अतिशोषणम्: excessively drying
• अतिशोषणम्: Karma-visheshana (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + शोषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying वायुम्)

• पपौ: drank up
• पपौ: Kriya (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• जनार्दनः: Janardana (Vishnu)
• जनार्दनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• क्रुद्धः: angry
• क्रुद्धः: Karta-visheshana (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुध् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle, active sense); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying जनार्दनः)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: Kriya (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पवनः: the wind
• पवनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• क्षयम्: to destruction/end
• क्षयम्: Gati/Karma (Goal as object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Antaryāmin is not passive: the Lord within actively destroys what threatens the devotee.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: In adversity, return attention inward through mantra and steadiness, trusting that dharmic clarity will ‘consume’ destructive impulses and fears.

Vishishtadvaita: God’s immanence (within the heart) includes sovereign agency—He protects from within while remaining the supreme Lord.

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Divine-protection

Bhakti Quality: Complete dependence on the indwelling Lord; fearlessness born of surrender.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Janardana (Vishnu/Krishna)
• Vayu (Wind)

FAQs

What is the significance of Janārdana being described as 'hṛdayastha' (dwelling within)?

It emphasizes Vishnu/Krishna as the antaryāmin—present within beings as the inner governor—whose will can restrain even elemental forces when they become destructive.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine control over nature in this verse?

By portraying Janārdana absorbing the desiccating wind, Parāśara frames the elements as subordinate to the Supreme Lord, who intervenes to prevent imbalance and suffering.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is shown not merely as a heroic agent but as the Supreme Reality sustaining order—able to neutralize a cosmic threat instantly, underscoring divine sovereignty central to Vaishnava philosophy.