Shloka 34

कुब्जानुग्रहः, धनुर्भङ्गः, कुवलयापीडवधः, मल्लयुद्धं, कंसवधः, स्तुतयः

Devanagari script

सो ऽयं यः कालियं नागं ननर्तारुह्य बालकः धृतो गोवर्धनो येन सप्तरात्रं महागिरिः

Transliteration

so 'yaṃ yaḥ kāliyaṃ nāgaṃ nanartāruhya bālakaḥ dhṛto govardhano yena saptarātraṃ mahāgiriḥ

Translation

He is the very One who, though only a boy, climbed upon Kāliya the serpent-king and danced; and who held aloft mighty Govardhana for seven nights—this is that same Hari.

Word by Word

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

• अयम्: this (very one)
• अयम्: Apposition (Samanadhikarana/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समानाधिकरण

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Relative subject/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• कालियम्: Kāliya
• कालियम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नागम्: the serpent
• नागम्: Apposition (Samanadhikarana/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समानाधिकरण (कालियस्य)

• ननर्त: danced
• ननर्त: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नृत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• आरुह्य: having climbed upon
• आरुह्य: Purvakala-kriya (Gerund/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + रुह् (धातु) → आरुह्य (कृदन्त, ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having mounted)

• बालकः: the boy
• बालकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• धृतः: was held up
• धृतः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु) → धृत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भावः (was held/lifted)

• गोवर्धनः: Govardhana (mountain)
• गोवर्धनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोवर्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• येन: by whom
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• सप्तरात्रम्: for seven nights
• सप्तरात्रम्: Kala-adhvana (Duration/कालावधि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (सप्त रात्रयः) कालावधि-अर्थे

• महागिरिः: the great mountain
• महागिरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (महान् गिरिः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To subdue poisonous, chaotic forces and to shelter devotees, demonstrating Bhagavān’s sovereignty through playful deeds.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Protection of Vraja and reorientation of worship toward Bhagavān over prideful deities

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord’s childlike form can perform cosmic protection, showing that omnipotence is compatible with intimacy in devotion.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Seek refuge (śaraṇāgati) in Bhagavān during ‘storms’—external crises or inner poisons—through prayer and remembrance.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhagavān is both accessible (saulabhya) as bāla-Kṛṣṇa and supreme controller (aiśvarya) who shelters all beings.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Vishnu
• Kaliya
• Govardhana

FAQs

What is the significance of Kāliya-damana in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse recalls Krishna’s subduing of Kāliya as a sign that the Lord restores dharma by conquering poisonous, disruptive forces while remaining the compassionate protector of beings.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Krishna’s divinity in this context?

By listing unmistakable deeds—dancing on Kāliya and holding Govardhana for seven nights—Parāśara identifies the child Krishna as the same Supreme Vishnu whose power governs all nature.

What is the theological importance of holding Govardhana here?

Govardhana-dhāraṇa depicts Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty: the cosmos and its laws are upheld by Him, and He personally shelters devotees, a key Vaishnava teaching emphasized in the Purana.