Shloka 16

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

Devanagari script

नखाङ्कुरविनिर्भिन्नवैरिवक्षःस्थलो विभुः नृसिंहरूपी सर्वत्र स त्वां रक्षतु केशवः

Transliteration

nakhāṅkuravinirbhinnavairivakṣaḥsthalo vibhuḥ nṛsiṃharūpī sarvatra sa tvāṃ rakṣatu keśavaḥ

Translation

May Keshava protect you everywhere—the all-powerful Lord in the form of Narasiṁha, whose claw-tips tore open the enemy’s chest, and whose presence pervades all directions.

Word by Word

• नख-अङ्कुर-विनिर्भिन्न-वैरि-वक्षः-स्थलः: whose enemy’s chest-region was torn open by nail-tips
• नख-अङ्कुर-विनिर्भिन्न-वैरि-वक्षः-स्थलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नख (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्कुर (प्रातिपदिक) + विनिर्भिन्न (कृदन्त; वि+निर्+√भिद्) + वैरि (प्रातिपदिक) + वक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (बहुपद-तत्पुरुष; वैरिणः वक्षःस्थलं नखाङ्कुरैः विनिर्भिन्नम् यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• विभुः: the all-powerful one
• विभुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन (singular)

• नृसिंह-रूपी: having the form of Narasiṃha
• नृसिंह-रूपी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक) + सिंह (प्रातिपदिक) + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष; नृसिंहस्य रूपी/रूपवान्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• सर्वत्र: everywhere
• सर्वत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन (singular)

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (singular)

• रक्षतु: may (he) protect
• रक्षतु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• केशवः: Keshava
• केशवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya; verse functions as a protective invocation)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Narasimha

Purpose: He manifested as Narasiṁha to destroy the tyrant who persecuted devotion and to protect the Lord’s devotee.

Leela: Yuddha (battle)

Dharma Restored: Protection of bhakti and the inviolability of divine refuge; re-establishing righteous rule

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The omnipresent Lord becomes fiercely protective when dharma and devotion are assaulted.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Hold to disciplined remembrance and ethical courage; trust that oppression is not ultimate.

Vishishtadvaita: Antaryāmin pervasion (“everywhere”) is coupled with personal intervention—immanence and sovereignty together.

Prahlada Narrative

Phase: Triumph

Bhakti Quality: Unshakable śaraṇāgati and steadfast remembrance of Hari under threat.

Narasimha: Narasimha’s violent slaying of Hiraṇyakaśipu, the climactic protection of the devotee.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari (name)

Bhakti Type: Dasya (servant)

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Narasimha
• Hiranyakashipu (implied enemy)

FAQs

What is the significance of Narasiṁha in the Vishnu Purana?

Narasiṁha embodies Vishnu’s immediate, all-direction protection of the devotee and the restoration of dharma by destroying the tyrannical enemy (Hiraṇyakaśipu implied).

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine protection in this context?

Through a direct protective invocation: Vishnu, as Vibhu and as Narasiṁha, is called upon to guard the listener “everywhere,” emphasizing omnipresence and sovereignty.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is presented as the supreme, all-pervading Lord who freely manifests as an avatāra to uphold cosmic order and protect devotees—central to Vaishnava (Vishishtadvaita/Dvaita) devotion.