Shloka 71

देवकी-विवाहः, आकाशवाणी, भूरभारावतरण-याचना, क्षीराब्धि-स्तुति, केशावतार-नियोजनम्

Devanagari script

योगनिद्रा महामाया वैष्णवी मोहितं यया अविद्यया जगत् सर्वं ताम् आह भगवान् हरिः

Transliteration

yoganidrā mahāmāyā vaiṣṇavī mohitaṃ yayā avidyayā jagat sarvaṃ tām āha bhagavān hariḥ

Translation

That divine Yogic Slumber—Mahāmāyā, the Vaiṣṇavī power—by which, through ignorance, the whole universe is deluded: her indeed Bhagavān Hari proclaims as His own potency.

Word by Word

• योगनिद्रा: Yogic sleep (mystic slumber)
• योगनिद्रा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगनिद्रा (प्रातिपदिक; योग + निद्रा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• महामाया: the great Māyā
• महामाया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामाया (प्रातिपदिक; महा + माया)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; योगनिद्रायाः विशेषण-रूपेण (appositional)

• वैष्णवी: Vishnu’s (belonging to Viṣṇu)
• वैष्णवी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैष्णवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; योगनिद्रायाः विशेषणम्

• मोहितम्: deluded
• मोहितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुह् (धातु) → मोहित (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; जगत् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• यया: by whom
• यया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• अविद्यया: by ignorance
• अविद्यया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेतु/साधन-भावे

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वम्: entire
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; जगत् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आह: said
• आह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हरिः: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भगवान् इत्यस्य विशेष्य-नाम

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in discourse to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To veil and then reveal His own divine potency (Yoganidrā/Mahāmāyā) as part of arranging the descent that will remove tyrannical adharma.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Protection of the divine birth-plan and the re-establishment of righteous kingship and devotion

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mahāmāyā (Yoganidrā) is proclaimed as Bhagavān Hari’s own Vaiṣṇavī śakti through which the world becomes deluded by avidyā.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Discern delusion as a dependent power under the Lord and cultivate viveka and śaraṇāgati rather than blaming the world as ultimate.

Vishishtadvaita: Avidyā/delusion operates as a real, Lord-governed śakti; the jagat is not independent but under Hari’s sovereignty (śeṣa–śeṣi relation).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Mahāmāyā
• Yoganidrā
• Vaiṣṇavī Śakti
• Avidyā
• Jagat (Universe)

FAQs

What is the significance of Yogānidrā (cosmic sleep) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse identifies Yogānidrā as Mahāmāyā—Viṣṇu’s own Vaiṣṇavī power—through which the universe becomes deluded; it frames creation and bondage as operating under the Lord’s sovereign śakti.

How does Sage Parāśara explain avidyā (ignorance) in this context?

Parāśara presents avidyā as the condition by which all beings are “mohita” (bewildered), functioning through Mahāmāyā; ignorance is not independent, but works under the divine power associated with Hari.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Hari is portrayed as Bhagavān who “declares” Mahāmāyā—implying mastery over the deluding power—supporting a Vaishnava view where the Supreme Reality governs both manifestation and liberation.