Shloka 1

बलरामस्य वारुणी-प्रसङ्गः, यमुनाकर्षणम्, लक्ष्मी-प्रदत्त-विभूषणम्, रेवती-विवाहः

Devanagari script

वने विचरतस् तस्य सह गोपैर् महात्मनः मानुषछद्मरूपस्य शेषस्य धरणीभृतः

Transliteration

vane vicaratas tasya saha gopair mahātmanaḥ mānuṣachadmarūpasya śeṣasya dharaṇībhṛtaḥ

Translation

As that great-souled Lord wandered through the forest with the cowherds, Śeṣa—the bearer of the earth—also moved beside Him, concealed in a human guise.

Word by Word

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative of place)

• विचरतः: of (him) wandering
• विचरतः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु) + विचर (वर्तमान कृदन्त/शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; ‘विचरन्’ इत्यस्य षष्ठी (genitive absolute/possessive)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारी)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सह-योगे तृतीया अपेक्षा (with + instrumental)

• गोपैः: with the cowherds
• गोपैः: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled one
• महात्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• मानुषछद्मरूपस्य: of (him) whose form is a human disguise
• मानुषछद्मरूपस्य: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुष + छद्म + रूप (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; समासः—मानुष-छद्म-रूप (मानुषं छद्म यस्य रूपम्)

• शेषस्य: of Śeṣa
• शेषस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• धरणीभृतः: of the earth-bearer
• धरणीभृतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरणी + भृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; समासः—धरणी-भृत् (धरणीं बिभर्ति इति)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Bhagavān appears among the Vraja-gopas to protect the world and delight devotees through human-like līlā.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Protection of dharma through Bhagavān’s concealed divinity within Vraja-līlā.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The supreme Lord may veil His cosmic majesty and move among devotees in human guise, making transcendence accessible through intimacy.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Approach the divine in everyday life with reverence and simplicity, recognizing sacredness even when it appears ordinary.

Vishishtadvaita: Transcendent Bhagavān remains immanently present within the world and among devotees without losing supremacy.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Shesha (Ananta)
• Krishna

FAQs

What is the significance of Śeṣa appearing in human guise in the Vishnu Purana?

It shows that the avatāra-līlā includes not only the Lord’s descent but also the participation of His eternal cosmic support (Śeṣa), who conceals divinity to preserve the intimacy of the human setting.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Lord’s companions during Krishna’s forest wanderings?

Parāśara frames the scene as pastoral on the surface—Krishna with the cowherds—while revealing a deeper layer: Śeṣa, the earth-bearer, is present alongside Him under a human disguise.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu/Krishna in this context?

The verse underscores Krishna as the Supreme Lord whose earthly play is supported by cosmic principles and divine attendants, reinforcing Vaishnava teaching that the transcendent sustains and enters the world without losing sovereignty.