Shloka 17

Kālayavana’s Rise, Dvārakā’s Founding, and Muchukunda’s Awakening (Śaraṇāgati & Brahman-Stuti)

Devanagari script

स ज्ञात्वा वासुदेवं तं बाहुप्रहरणो नृपः अनुयातो महायोगिचेतोभिः प्राप्यते न यः

Transliteration

sa jñātvā vāsudevaṃ taṃ bāhupraharaṇo nṛpaḥ anuyāto mahāyogicetobhiḥ prāpyate na yaḥ

Translation

Recognizing Him as Vāsudeva, King Bāhu—famed for the might of his arms—followed after Him: that Lord whom even the concentrated minds of great yogins cannot attain.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘having known’

• वासुदेवम्: Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
• वासुदेवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• बाहुप्रहरणः: (having) arm as weapon
• बाहुप्रहरणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाहु (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रहरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (बाहोः प्रहरणम्) ‘one whose weapon is the arm’ (epithet)

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अनुयातः: followed
• अनुयातः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-या (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘followed/has followed’ (used predicatively)

• महायोगिचेतोभिः: by the minds of great yogins
• महायोगिचेतोभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महायोगिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (चेतस्), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (महायोगिनां चेतांसि)

• प्राप्यते: is attained
• प्राप्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

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

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Krishna draws the pursuing Yavana into a situation where the adharma-driven aggressor will be destroyed and dharma preserved without needless battle.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Protection of the righteous Yadu line and the maintenance of kingly order against foreign/adharmic violence

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord as Vāsudeva is beyond the reach of even perfected yogic concentration, yet becomes knowable through right recognition and devotion.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Cultivate humble devotion and God-remembrance rather than relying solely on technique or pride in spiritual attainment.

Vishishtadvaita: Vāsudeva is transcendent (not grasped by yogic effort alone) yet personally approachable to the devotee who recognizes Him.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Vasudeva

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Vyuha Form: Vasudeva

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva (Vishnu)
• King Bāhu (Bāhupraharaṇa)
• Great Yogins

FAQs

What is the significance of Vāsudeva being ‘unattainable even to great yogins’ in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse stresses Vishnu’s transcendence: even perfected yogic concentration cannot ‘reach’ Him as an object, underscoring that the Supreme Lord exceeds the grasp of mere technique and is known truly by recognition and divine revelation.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the relationship between kingship and divine sovereignty here?

By showing a powerful king (Bāhu) following Vāsudeva, Parāśara frames worldly sovereignty as secondary—true authority belongs to the Lord who stands beyond human strength and beyond even yogic attainment.

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

Vishnu is presented as Vāsudeva, the supreme, transcendent reality: the narrative elevates Him above both royal power and yogic accomplishment, aligning with Vaishnava theology where the Lord is ultimate and not merely an attainable meditative object.