Shloka 20

नग्न-परिभाषा तथा देव-स्तोत्रपूर्वक मायामोह-उत्पत्ति

Defining ‘Nagna’ and the Devas’ Hymn Leading to Māyāmoha

Devanagari script

क्रौर्यमायामयं घोरं यच् च रूपं तवासितम् निशाचरात्मने तस्मै नमस् ते पुरुषोत्तम

Transliteration

krauryamāyāmayaṃ ghoraṃ yac ca rūpaṃ tavāsitam niśācarātmane tasmai namas te puruṣottama

Translation

O Puruṣottama, that dark form of Yours—terrifying and dreadful, woven of cruelty and māyā—unto that guise of niśācara-nature I bow.

Word by Word

• क्रौर्यमायामयम्: made of cruelty and illusion
• क्रौर्यमायामयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रौर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + माया (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; (विशेषण) — क्रौर्य-माया-मय (consisting of cruelty and illusion)

• घोरम्: terrible
• घोरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; (विशेषण)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Visheshya (Correlative/यद्-तद् सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय-निपात)

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karma/Visheṣya (Object/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आसितम्: that has appeared/been
• आसितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √आस् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘आसित’ = been/appeared

• निशाचरात्मने: to the demon-natured (form)
• निशाचरात्मने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशाचर (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः — निशाचरस्य आत्मा (night-wanderer/demon-natured)

• तस्मै: to that (one)
• तस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Prayojana/भाव (Salutation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात) — नमः

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी/षष्ठी एकवचन; अत्र ‘नमः ते’ इति प्रयोगे चतुर्थी (to you)

• पुरुषोत्तम: O Supreme Person
• पुरुषोत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय — उत्तमः पुरुषः

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya, in praise of the Supreme Lord’s formidable manifestation)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The Lord’s manifold, even terrifying, forms as instruments of protection and cosmic governance

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: majestic

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Supreme can deploy frightening appearances without being bound by cruelty or māyā, using them as instruments to restrain adharma.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Do not mistake intimidating circumstances for ultimate evil; cultivate trust that dharma can be defended through disciplined action aligned with the divine.

Vishishtadvaita: Māyā and terrifying forms are under the Lord’s sovereignty; He remains pure while employing them for the world’s protection.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Niśācara (demon/night-roamer)

FAQs

What is the significance of Vishnu’s terrifying form in the Vishnu Purana?

The verse presents the Lord’s dreadful appearance as a deliberate, sovereign manifestation—an instrument of māyā assumed to address demonic forces and restore dharma, without diminishing His supreme nature as Puruṣottama.

How does Sage Parāśara explain māyā in this context?

Māyā is implied as the Lord’s power by which He can take on any form—gentle or terrifying—suited to the moral and cosmic needs of the moment, while remaining the highest reality beyond change.

What is the theological importance of calling Vishnu ‘Puruṣottama’ here?

It affirms Vishnu as the Supreme Person: even fearsome, world-governing forms are expressions of His lordship, not limitations—supporting a Vaishnava view of a personal Absolute who rules the cosmos through purposeful manifestations.