Shloka 13

प्रद्युम्न-अपहरणम्, मत्स्य-उद्धारः, मायावती-शिक्षा, शम्बरवधः, रुक्मिणी-पुत्र-संगमः

Devanagari script

मायावती ददौ चास्मै मायाः सर्वा महात्मने प्रद्युम्नायानुरागान्धा तन्न्यस्तहृदयेक्षणा

Transliteration

māyāvatī dadau cāsmai māyāḥ sarvā mahātmane pradyumnāyānurāgāndhā tannyastahṛdayekṣaṇā

Translation

Māyāvatī, her heart and gaze wholly fixed upon him—blinded, as it were, by love—bestowed upon that great-souled Pradyumna all the arts of māyā (mystic and strategic devices) that she possessed.

Word by Word

• मायावती: Māyāvatī
• मायावती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मायावती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; proper noun

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; parasmaipada

• च: and
• च: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; conjunction

• अस्मै: to him
• अस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/सामान्य, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; dative pronoun

• मायाः: magical arts, illusions
• मायाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; accusative

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; agrees with मायाः

• महात्मने: to the great-souled one
• महात्मने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान) (apposition to अस्मै)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महान् आत्मा यस्य), पुल्लिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; dative

• प्रद्युम्नाय: to Pradyumna
• प्रद्युम्नाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान) (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रद्युम्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; dative

• अनुरागान्धा: blinded by love
• अनुरागान्धा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता) (qualifying Māyāvatī)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुराग + अन्ध (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अनुरागेण अन्धा), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तत्: his
• तत्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; genitive (in compound sense: ‘his’)

• न्यस्तहृदयेक्षणा: with her gaze fixed on his heart
• न्यस्तहृदयेक्षणा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता) (qualifying Māyāvatī)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: न्यस्त + हृदय + ईक्षण (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (हृदये न्यस्तम् ईक्षणं यस्याः), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘न्यस्त’ = PPP (क्त)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To manifest the divine vyūhas and uphold cosmic order through incarnate līlā.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Rightful victory over hostile māyā through superior knowledge and divine power.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Love can become a force that moves one to serve and empower the beloved—yet it must be aligned to right understanding.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Channel strong attachment into constructive service and learning, while cultivating discernment about roles and duties.

Vishishtadvaita: The vyūha-identification (Pradyumna) reflects Pāñcarātra theology where Bhagavān’s functional emanations operate within līlā without losing divinity.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Madhurya

Vyuha Form: Pradyumna

Characters & Entities

• Māyāvatī
• Pradyumna

FAQs

What is the significance of Māyā (mystic arts) in this verse of the Vishnu Purana?

Here, “māyāḥ sarvāḥ” indicates practical and esoteric skill—protective stratagems and occult knowledge—transmitted to Pradyumna as part of the narrative of safeguarding Vishnu’s avatāra-line and restoring rightful order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of love (anurāga) in shaping events?

Parāśara frames Māyāvatī’s actions as driven by overpowering affection—her heart and eyes fixed on Pradyumna—showing how personal devotion and attachment become instruments that move the plot toward dharmic outcomes.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, Pradyumna belongs to the avatāra narrative of Vishnu (through Krishna); the episode underscores a Vaishnava theme: divine providence sustains the cosmic order by empowering the righteous with the means to overcome hostile forces.