Shloka 21

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

Devanagari script

स हि देवासुरे युद्धे गतो जित्वा महासुरान् निद्रार्तः सुमहत् कालं निद्रां वव्रे वरं सुरान्

Transliteration

sa hi devāsure yuddhe gato jitvā mahāsurān nidrārtaḥ sumahat kālaṃ nidrāṃ vavre varaṃ surān

Translation

For he went forth to the war of gods and demons; and having conquered the mighty Asuras, wearied by sleep, he chose from the Devas as a boon the gift of slumber for a very long span of time.

Word by Word

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

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• देवासुरे: in the deva-and-asura (war)
• देवासुरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (as adjective to युद्ध), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (देवाश्च असुराश्च)

• युद्धे: in the battle
• युद्धे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• गतः: having gone
• गतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘gone/having gone’

• जित्वा: having defeated
• जित्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having conquered’

• महासुरान्: the great asuras
• महासुरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (महान्तः असुराः)

• निद्रार्तः: afflicted with sleep
• निद्रार्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निद्रा (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (निद्रया आर्तः) ‘afflicted by sleep’

• सुमहत्: very great
• सुमहत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (intensified: very great)

• कालम्: a time (period)
• कालम्: Karma (Extent of time/कालावधि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• निद्राम्: sleep
• निद्राम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वव्रे: chose (as a boon)
• वव्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘chose/asked for’

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सुरान्: the gods
• सुरान्: Sampradana (Recipient/Source addressed/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: After fulfilling arduous duty in cosmic conflict, even a great king may rightly seek restorative withdrawal; boons follow sustained service and sacrifice.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Perform responsibilities with steadiness, then practice intentional rest and retreat to prevent burnout and preserve clarity for future dharma.

Vishishtadvaita: Worldly duty (kṣātra-karma) is meaningful within the Lord’s order; embodied beings legitimately require rest, affirming a real, purposive cosmos.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Asuras

FAQs

What is the significance of “divine sleep” (nidrā/yoga-nidrā) in the Vishnu Purana?

In this verse, sleep is framed as a chosen boon after victory—suggesting purposeful divine repose that supports cosmic rhythm and order, not ordinary helplessness.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the aftermath of the Deva–Asura conflict here?

Parāśara presents a sequence: the hero goes to war, conquers the great Asuras, and then receives a boon—sleep for a long duration—marking a transition from conflict to cosmic stabilization.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu’s sovereignty in this context?

Even when described in human-like terms (weariness), the narrative emphasizes agency: the Lord ‘chooses’ the boon, underscoring supreme control over action and rest—key to Vaishnava views of the Lord as ruler of cosmic order.