Shloka 12

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

Devanagari script

आदाय कृष्णं संत्रस्ता यशोदापि द्विजोत्तम गोपुच्छं भ्राम्य हस्तेन बालदोषम् अपाकरोत्

Transliteration

ādāya kṛṣṇaṃ saṃtrastā yaśodāpi dvijottama gopucchaṃ bhrāmya hastena bāladoṣam apākarot

Translation

Alarmed, Yaśodā too—O best of the twice-born—took up little Kṛṣṇa, and, whirling a cow’s tail in her hand, sought to ward off the supposed childish affliction, the evil influence.

Word by Word

• आदाय: having taken up
• आदाय: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-दा (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-समकक्ष)
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया

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

• संत्रस्ता: frightened
• संत्रस्ता: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-त्रस् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् यशोदा प्रति

• यशोदा: Yaśodā
• यशोदा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यशोदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थ (also/even)

• द्विजोत्तम: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजोत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (द्विजानाम् उत्तमः/best of the twice-born); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• गोपुच्छम्: a cow’s tail
• गोपुच्छम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + पुच्छ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (गोः पुच्छम्/cow’s tail); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भ्राम्य: whirling, moving around
• भ्राम्य: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु) + ल्यप्
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्यय (Gerund), सहक्रिया/पूर्वक्रिया

• हस्तेन: with (her) hand
• हस्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बालदोषम्: the child’s affliction/evil influence
• बालदोषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक) + दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (बालस्य दोषः/evil affecting the child); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपाकरोत्: removed, dispelled
• अपाकरोत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप-आ-√कृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: compassionate

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To enact bāla-līlā wherein devotees express protective love, deepening vatsalya-bhakti while the Lord remains the true protector.

Leela: Bala

Dharma Restored: Household dharma and protective rites (rakṣā) performed in devotion and anxiety for the child.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Vatsalya-bhakti sanctifies ordinary acts: Yaśodā’s simple protective rite becomes devotion directed to the Lord veiled as a child.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Offer everyday caregiving and family duties as worship (ārpaṇa-buddhi), transforming anxiety into prayerful protection.

Vishishtadvaita: The transcendent Lord accepts intimate relational devotion (śeṣa-śeṣi-bhāva): the Infinite allows himself to be ‘protected’ by devotees without losing supremacy.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Yashoda

FAQs

What is the significance of Yaśodā using a cow’s tail in the Vishnu Purana?

It reflects a traditional Vraja-style protective rite meant to avert the ‘bāla-doṣa’ (evil influence on a child), showing Yaśodā’s maternal concern within Krishna’s līlā.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the human-like vulnerability of Krishna here?

Parāśara narrates that devotees treat Krishna as a child and perform ordinary protections; the Purana presents this as līlā—Vishnu’s supreme nature remains, yet he accepts intimate, human relationships.

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

Even when approached as a vulnerable child, Krishna is Vishnu’s supreme manifestation; the episode highlights bhakti—especially vātsalya—where divine majesty is veiled by loving intimacy.