Shloka 14

यमस्य अधिकारभङ्गः — वैष्णवस्य लक्षणम्

Freedom from Yama through Hari-śaraṇāgati

Devanagari script

स्वपुरुषम् अभिवीक्ष्य पाशहस्तं वदति यमः किल तस्य कर्णमूले परिहर मधुसूदनप्रपन्नान् प्रभुर् अहम् अन्यनृणां न वैष्णवानाम्

Transliteration

svapuruṣam abhivīkṣya pāśahastaṃ vadati yamaḥ kila tasya karṇamūle parihara madhusūdanaprapannān prabhur aham anyanṛṇāṃ na vaiṣṇavānām

Translation

Seeing his own servant standing with the noose in hand, Yama is said to whisper in his ear: “Avoid those who have taken refuge in Madhusūdana. I am lord over other men—never over the Vaiṣṇavas.”

Word by Word

• स्वपुरुषम्: his own attendant
• स्वपुरुषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वपुरुष (प्रातिपदिक) = स्व + पुरुष
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (स्वस्य पुरुषः)

• अभिवीक्ष्य: having looked at
• अभिवीक्ष्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-वीक्ष् (धातु) → अभिवीक्ष्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), ‘having looked at/seen’

• पाशहस्तम्: with a noose in hand
• पाशहस्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाशहस्त (प्रातिपदिक) = पाश + हस्त
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (पाशः हस्ते यस्य) विशेषणम् (स्वपुरुषम्)

• वदति: says
• वदति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यमः: Yama
• यमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• किल: indeed/it is said
• किल: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), कथन-प्रमाण/श्रुत्यर्थे ‘indeed/it is said’

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कर्णमूले: at the root of the ear
• कर्णमूले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्णमूल (प्रातिपदिक) = कर्ण + मूल
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (कर्णस्य मूलम्)

• परिहर: avoid/leave aside
• परिहर: Kriya (Command/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-हृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मधुसूदनप्रपन्नान्: those who have taken refuge in Madhusūdana (Vishnu)
• मधुसूदनप्रपन्नान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधुसूदनप्रपन्न (प्रातिपदिक) = मधुसूदन + प्रपन्न
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (मधुसूदनं प्रपन्नाः)

• प्रभुः: lord/master
• प्रभुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अन्यनृणाम्: of other men
• अन्यनृणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्यनृ (प्रातिपदिक) = अन्य + नृ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (अन्ये नृणः)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• वैष्णवानाम्: of the Vaiṣṇavas (devotees of Vishnu)
• वैष्णवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

Speaker

Yama (as reported within the Parāśara–Maitreya narration)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Why the servants of Yama must not seize devotees of Madhusūdana

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Those who have taken refuge in Madhusūdana are beyond Yama’s jurisdiction, for the Lord’s protection supersedes ordinary karmic enforcement.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) through daily remembrance, nāma-japa, and ethical living aligned with devotion rather than fear of punishment.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord’s sovereignty and grace protect the surrendered soul while karmic administration (Yama) applies to others—affirming a personal, gracious Supreme.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Madhusudana (Vishnu)
• Vaishnavas
• Yama-dutas (servants of Yama)

FAQs

What is the significance of Yama telling his servants to avoid Vishnu’s devotees in the Vishnu Purana?

It asserts that divine refuge in Vishnu transcends ordinary karmic jurisdiction: Yama’s punitive authority applies to others, but surrendered Vaiṣṇavas are under Vishnu’s direct protection.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the power of śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) here?

Through this reported command of Yama, the narrative frames surrender to Madhusūdana as a decisive spiritual status—placing the devotee beyond the ordinary reach of death’s enforcers and emphasizing Vishnu’s supreme guardianship.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Vishnu is presented as the Supreme Lord whose sovereignty overrides even Yama, showing that bhakti and surrender align the soul with the highest authority rather than merely negotiating within karmic law.