Shloka 44

कुब्जानुग्रहः, धनुर्भङ्गः, कुवलयापीडवधः, मल्लयुद्धं, कंसवधः, स्तुतयः

Devanagari script

श्रीवत्साङ्कं महद्धाम बालस्यैतद् विलोक्यताम् विपक्षक्षपणं वक्षो भुजयुग्मं च भामिनि

Transliteration

śrīvatsāṅkaṃ mahaddhāma bālasyaitad vilokyatām vipakṣakṣapaṇaṃ vakṣo bhujayugmaṃ ca bhāmini

Translation

O passionate one, behold this child’s supreme radiance: the Śrīvatsa mark upon his chest, the breast that destroys opposing forces, and the pair of mighty arms as well.

Word by Word

• श्रीवत्स-अङ्कम्: marked with the Śrīvatsa sign
• श्रीवत्स-अङ्कम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीवत्स (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Accusative singular; तत्पुरुष: श्रीवत्सः अङ्कः यस्य तत्

• महत्-धाम: the great abode/splendour
• महत्-धाम: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + धामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Accusative singular; कर्मधारय: महत् च तत् धाम

• बालस्य: of the boy (Kṛṣṇa)
• बालस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6/षष्ठी), एकवचन — Genitive singular

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Accusative singular (pronoun)

• विलोक्यताम्: let it be seen; behold
• विलोक्यताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-लोक् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद — Imperative 3rd sg.; (अनुज्ञा/विधि) ‘let it be looked at’

• विपक्ष-क्षपणम्: destroyer of opponents
• विपक्ष-क्षपणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षपण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Accusative singular; तत्पुरुष: विपक्षाणां क्षपणम् (नाशक)

• वक्षः: chest
• वक्षः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• भुज-युग्मम्: pair of arms
• भुज-युग्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुज (प्रातिपदिक) + युग्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Accusative singular; तत्पुरुष: भुजानां युग्मम्

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• भामिनि: O lovely one
• भामिनि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भामिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — Vocative singular

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya; the verse itself addresses a woman within the narrated scene)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa descends to annihilate hostile forces and to reveal the supreme Lord’s auspicious marks to devotees, strengthening dharma through divine presence.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Removal of oppressive violence and protection of the righteous community

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Contemplating the Lord’s auspicious bodily marks (like Śrīvatsa) and his protective might is itself a form of devotion that awakens saving recognition.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Use icon-darśana and nāma-smaraṇa with mindful attention to divine qualities—beauty, protection, and sovereignty—rather than distracted viewing.

Vishishtadvaita: The supreme Brahman is not formless abstraction here but the auspicious, attribute-full Lord whose body is the locus of grace and protection.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Madhurya

Lakshmi Presence: Sri (fortune)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of the Śrīvatsa mark in the Vishnu Purana?

Śrīvatsa is presented as an auspicious identifying mark on Vishnu’s chest, signaling His divinity and sovereign status, so that even in a “child” form He is recognized as Bhagavān.

How does Sage Parāśara explain recognition of the Supreme through visible signs?

Through lakṣaṇas—distinct divine marks and attributes—Parāśara’s narration shows that Vishnu’s supremacy is not inferred only philosophically but also revealed through unmistakable sacred characteristics.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is depicted as the supreme protector and ruler: His chest and arms symbolize the power that preserves cosmic order and annihilates opposition to dharma.