Shloka 17

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

Devanagari script

वर्षतां जलदानां च तोयम् अत्युल्बणं निशि संच्छाद्यानुययौ शेषः फणैर् आनकदुन्दुभिम्

Transliteration

varṣatāṃ jaladānāṃ ca toyam atyulbaṇaṃ niśi saṃcchādyānuyayau śeṣaḥ phaṇair ānakadundubhim

Translation

As the rain-clouds poured down through the night and the waters swelled into a fierce flood, Śeṣa followed behind Ānakadundubhi (Vasudeva), sheltering him beneath the canopy of his many hoods.

Word by Word

• वर्षताम्: of those raining
• वर्षताम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृष् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle); षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); बहुवचन; ‘of (the) raining (clouds)’

• जलदानाम्: of the clouds
• जलदानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• तोयम्: water
• तोयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• अति-उल्बणम्: excessively strong/violent
• अति-उल्बणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उल्बण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; ‘तोयम्’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्; अति-उपसर्गपूर्वक (intensifier)

• निशि: at night
• निशि: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative); एकवचन

• संच्छाद्य: having covered
• संच्छाद्य: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/Adverbial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + छद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund); सम्-उपसर्ग; ‘having covered’

• अनुययौ: followed
• अनुययौ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शेषः: Śeṣa
• शेषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• फणैः: with (his) hoods
• फणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); बहुवचन

• आनकदुन्दुभिम्: Ānakadundubhi (Vasudeva)
• आनकदुन्दुभिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनकदुन्दुभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The miraculous aids that accompanied Vasudeva, especially Śeṣa’s protection

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: reverent

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To preserve the avatāra’s secret transit, divine supports—including Śeṣa—manifest to shield Him from the elements and hostile fate.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Ensuring the Lord’s protected advent among the Vraja devotees

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord’s own cosmic attendants (Śeṣa/Ananta) serve Him, showing that divine sovereignty turns nature itself into protection for devotees.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: In adversity, remember the Lord’s guardianship (rakṣaṇa) and persevere in dharmic action without panic.

Vishishtadvaita: The supreme Person is served by real, distinct divine beings (cit) whose agency harmonizes with His will—supporting qualified non-dualism rather than impersonal monism.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Vyuha Form: Sankarshana

Characters & Entities

• Shesha (Ananta)
• Vasudeva (Anakadundubhi)

FAQs

What is the significance of Śeṣa covering Vasudeva in the Vishnu Purana?

It signifies that cosmic order itself serves the Supreme—Śeṣa (Ananta), emblem of infinity and support, becomes a living refuge so the Lord’s purpose proceeds unhindered even amid a violent flood.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine protection during Krishna’s birth narrative?

Through concrete, providential imagery: the night, the storm, and the swollen waters form the danger, while Śeṣa’s hoods form the shelter—showing protection as an expression of Vishnu’s sovereign will operating through his eternal attendant.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu in this context?

Even before overt miracles are described, the world’s primal supports (like Ananta-Śeṣa) align to safeguard the Lord’s descent—affirming Vishnu as Supreme Reality whose incarnation draws all cosmic powers into service.