Shloka 11

Vasudeva Meets Nanda; Pūtanā’s Fall; Viṣṇu-Rakṣā (Protective Hymn) in Gokula

Devanagari script

तन्नादश्रुतिसंत्रासात् प्रबुद्धास् ते व्रजौकसः ददृशुः पूतनोत्सङ्गे कृष्णं तां च निपातिताम्

Transliteration

tannādaśrutisaṃtrāsāt prabuddhās te vrajaukasaḥ dadṛśuḥ pūtanotsaṅge kṛṣṇaṃ tāṃ ca nipātitām

Translation

Startled awake by that sound, the dwellers of Vraja rose in alarm; and they beheld Kṛṣṇa upon Pūtanā’s lap, and Pūtanā herself lying fallen.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थे पूर्वपद (in compound), एकवचन; नाद-विशेषणम्

• नाद: sound, cry
• नाद: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थे पूर्वपद (in compound)

• श्रुति: hearing
• श्रुति: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थे पूर्वपद (in compound)

• संत्रासात्: from fear (caused by...)
• संत्रासात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Ablative/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संत्रास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular); समासपूर्वकः: तन्नादश्रुतिसंत्रासात्

• प्रबुद्धाः: awakened
• प्रबुद्धाः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-बुध् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम् ते प्रति

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• व्रजौकसः: the inhabitants of Vraja
• व्रजौकसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रज (प्रातिपदिक) + ओकस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (व्रजे ओकः येषाम्/those whose dwelling is in Vraja); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ददृशुः: saw
• ददृशुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• पूतनोत्सङ्गे: in Pūtanā’s lap
• पूतनोत्सङ्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूतना (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्सङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पूतनायाः उत्सङ्गे/in Pūtanā’s lap); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• कृष्णम्: Krishna
• कृष्णम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; पूतनाम् प्रति

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• निपातिताम्: fallen down, brought down
• निपातिताम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-पत् (धातु) + णिच् (causative) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: णिजन्त-धातोः भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Causative PPP/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् ताम् प्रति

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: narrative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To reveal his protective divinity in Vraja by surviving the attack and leaving the community astonished yet safe.

Leela: Bala

Dharma Restored: Reassurance of divine guardianship over the devotees’ household life.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Pūtanā
• Vraja (Vrajavāsīs)

FAQs

What is the significance of Pūtanā’s fall in the Vishnu Purana?

It marks the Lord’s immediate protection of Vraja and shows that demonic hostility cannot endure in the presence of Krishna’s divine power.

How does Sage Parāśara frame this event in the dialogue with Maitreya?

Parāśara narrates it as a witnessed turning point for the Vrajavāsīs—awakened by an ominous sound, they directly see Krishna safe and the asurī Pūtanā destroyed.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu (as Krishna) in this context?

Krishna is portrayed as the Supreme Lord whose sovereignty operates even in infancy—preserving devotees and subduing adharma without effort.