Shloka 13

श्रीकृष्ण-जन्म, वसुदेव-यमुनातरण, बालिका-उत्क्षेपः, देवी-प्रादुर्भावः

Devanagari script

उपसंहर सर्वात्मन् रूपम् एतच् चतुर्भुजम् जानातु मावतारं ते कंसो ऽयं दितिजात्मजः

Transliteration

upasaṃhara sarvātman rūpam etac caturbhujam jānātu māvatāraṃ te kaṃso 'yaṃ ditijātmajaḥ

Translation

Withdraw, O All-Soul, this four-armed form; let not Kaṃsa—this offspring of the Daitya-line—come to know of Your descent (into the world).

Word by Word

• उपसंहर: withdraw/contract
• उपसंहर: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-सम्-हृ (√हृ धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सर्वात्मन्: O all-souled one
• सर्वात्मन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + आत्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सर्वः आत्मा यस्य/सर्वात्मन्)

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; विशेषणम् (रूपम्)

• चतुर्भुजम्: four-armed
• चतुर्भुजम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्-भुज (प्रातिपदिक; चतुर् + भुज)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (चत्वारः भुजाः यस्य) विशेषणम् (रूपम्)

• जानातु: let (him) know
• जानातु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (√ज्ञा धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मा: not
• मा: Pratishedha (Prohibition/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (prohibitive particle)

• अवतारम्: incarnation/descent
• अवतारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कंसः: Kaṃsa
• कंसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; विशेषणम् (कंसः)

• दितिजात्मजः: son of a Diti-born (demon)
• दितिजात्मजः: Apposition (Samanadhikarana/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दितिज-आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक; दितिज + आत्मज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दितिजस्य आत्मजः)

Speaker

Devaki (addressing Lord Vishnu/Krishna at birth, as narrated by Sage Parasara to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To remain concealed at birth so the avatāra can proceed to Gokula and later destroy Kaṃsa and restore dharma.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Preservation of the divine mission through protective concealment; safeguarding devotees from immediate persecution.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Sarvātman can contract His manifest form for the sake of līlā, showing that divine self-revelation is voluntary and purposeful.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Trust that the divine may work invisibly; maintain devotion without demanding constant signs or spectacle.

Vishishtadvaita: The All-Soul (indweller) is personally addressable and responsive, uniting cosmic immanence with intimate grace.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Krishna
• Kamsa
• Daityas (Diti’s lineage)
• Devaki

FAQs

What is the significance of the four-armed (caturbhuja) form in the Vishnu Purana?

It signals Krishna’s identity as Vishnu/Narayana—Supreme Lord—whose divine attributes are revealed at birth before being concealed for the sake of the earthly play and protection from Kaṃsa.

How does Sage Parasara explain the need for concealment in Krishna’s avatara narrative?

Through the story’s dialogue, the Purana shows devotees recognizing the Lord’s supremacy while urging concealment so hostile powers like Kaṃsa do not obstruct the divinely guided course of events.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu being addressed as Sarvatman here?

Calling Him “Sarvatman” affirms Vishnu as the indwelling Supreme Reality—transcendent yet present within all—whose incarnation is not limitation but compassionate manifestation.