Shloka 81

कुब्जानुग्रहः, धनुर्भङ्गः, कुवलयापीडवधः, मल्लयुद्धं, कंसवधः, स्तुतयः

Devanagari script

उत्थाप्य वसुदेवस् तं देवकी च जनार्दनम् स्मृतजन्मोक्तवचनौ ताव् एव प्रणतौ स्थितौ

Transliteration

utthāpya vasudevas taṃ devakī ca janārdanam smṛtajanmoktavacanau tāv eva praṇatau sthitau

Translation

Raising up Janārdana, Vasudeva and Devakī—recalling the circumstances of His birth and the words spoken then—remained before Him, standing with heads bowed in reverence.

Word by Word

• utthāpya: having raised (him up)
• utthāpya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Prior action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√sthā (स्था धातु) + णिच् (causative) + क्त्वा
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (क्त्वा), causative sense — ‘having raised (him)’

• vasudevaḥ: Vasudeva
• vasudevaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasudeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• tam: him (Janārdana/Kṛṣṇa)
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• devakī: Devakī
• devakī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devakī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• janārdanam: Janārdana (Kṛṣṇa)
• janārdanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janārdana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• smṛta-janma-ukta-vacanau: remembering (his) birth and speaking words (to him)
• smṛta-janma-ukta-vacanau: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: smṛta (√smṛ + क्त) + janman (प्रातिपदिक) + ukta (√vac + क्त) + vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष समास (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समुच्चयार्थ: ‘whose birth was remembered and words were spoken’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन — agreeing with tāv

• tau: those two (Vasudeva and Devakī)
• tau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन — Nominative dual

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha/Emphasis (Nipāta)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• praṇatau: bowed, prostrate
• praṇatau: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/State (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: praṇata (√nam + क्त, with pra-)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन — ‘bowed down’

• sthitau: stood/remained
• sthitau: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया; participial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthita (√sthā + क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन — ‘stood/remained’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa allows his parents to recall his divine birth and words, deepening their reverence and confirming his protective mission.

Leela: Moksha-dana

Dharma Restored: Recognition of the Lord’s divinity alongside worldly relationships (līlā and tattva together)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Smaraṇa (recollection) of the Lord’s advent and words transforms ordinary affection into reverent devotion.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Practice daily remembrance of the Lord’s līlā and teachings to steady the mind and refine relationships into devotion.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord is personally approachable (as child/son) yet remains the supreme object of worship—bhakti through relationship.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Vasudeva
• Devaki
• Janardana (Vishnu/Krishna)

FAQs

What is the significance of Vasudeva and Devakī bowing to Janārdana in the Vishnu Purana?

It marks their awakened recognition of Krishna as Janārdana—Vishnu Himself—so parental attachment is transformed into reverent bhakti before the Supreme.

How does Sage Parāśara frame the idea of remembrance in this verse?

Parāśara emphasizes “smṛta” (remembered): the parents recall the divine circumstances and earlier utterances about Krishna’s birth, which deepens their surrender and reverence.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Krishna is named Janārdana, underscoring Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty—He is not merely a son within history, but the transcendent Lord whom even His parents worship.