Shloka 7

पौण्ड्रक-वधः, कृत्या-प्रशमनम्, वाराणसी-दाहः

Devanagari script

वासुदेवात्मकं मूढ मुक्त्वा गर्वं विशेषतः आत्मनो जीवितार्थाय ततो मे प्रणतिं व्रज

Transliteration

vāsudevātmakaṃ mūḍha muktvā garvaṃ viśeṣataḥ ātmano jīvitārthāya tato me praṇatiṃ vraja

Translation

O fool—abandon your pride altogether, and recognize that your very self is grounded in Vāsudeva. Then, for the sake of your own life and well-being, come and bow to me in surrender.

Word by Word

• वासुदेवात्मकम्: Vāsudeva-identifying / ‘as Vāsudeva’
• वासुदेवात्मकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वासुदेव + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular; विशेषण (of गर्वम्)

• मूढ: O fool
• मूढ: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (सम्बोधन), एकवचन — Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• मुक्त्वा: having given up
• मुक्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु; मोचने)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) — having abandoned

• गर्वम्: pride
• गर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• आत्मनः: of yourself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• जीवितार्थाय: for (your) survival
• जीवितार्थाय: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Dative, Singular; ‘for the sake of life’

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: then/from that)

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उभयलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Pronoun; Genitive/Dative, Singular (here: ‘to me’)

• प्रणतिम्: bow, submission
• प्रणतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• व्रज: go / resort (to)
• व्रज: Kriya (Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु; गत्यर्थे)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन — Imperative, 2nd person, Singular

Speaker

A superior/admonishing figure within the narrative addressing an arrogant person (as quoted by Sage Parāśara in his narration to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa confronts deluded pride and compels submission to restore dharma and protect beings from self-destructive arrogance.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Right relation of jīva to Bhagavān—humility, surrender, and acknowledgment of dependence

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Abandon pride and recognize the self’s dependence on Vāsudeva; surrender (praṇati) is the means to well-being.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Practice daily humility—offer actions and identity to the Lord, and replace self-importance with service-oriented devotion.

Vishishtadvaita: Śeṣa-śeṣi-bhāva: the jīva exists for and by the Lord; surrender aligns the dependent self with its divine ground.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Vasudeva

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Vyuha Form: Vasudeva

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vasudeva (Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the significance of Vāsudeva being described as the essence of the self in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames the individual self as dependent on Vāsudeva, urging a shift from ego to God-centered identity, a key devotional-metaphysical theme in the Purana.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the correction of pride in this context?

By presenting an admonition that links arrogance with delusion and prescribes praṇati (humble surrender) as the practical remedy that preserves one’s well-being.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu (Vāsudeva) is implied as the sustaining reality of the jīva; acknowledging Him dissolves pride and restores proper dharmic alignment through surrender.