Shloka 21

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

Devanagari script

त्वां पातु दिक्षु वैकुण्ठो विदिक्षु मधुसूदनः हृषीकेशो ऽम्बरे भूमौ रक्षतु त्वां महीधरः

Transliteration

tvāṃ pātu dikṣu vaikuṇṭho vidikṣu madhusūdanaḥ hṛṣīkeśo 'mbare bhūmau rakṣatu tvāṃ mahīdharaḥ

Translation

May Vaikuṇṭha protect you in all directions; may Madhusūdana guard you in the intermediate quarters. In the sky may Hṛṣīkeśa watch over you, and upon the earth may Mahīdhara keep you safe.

Word by Word

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन

• पातु: may (he) protect
• पातु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative/benedictive), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• दिक्षु: in the directions
• दिक्षु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case/locative), बहुवचन

• वैकुण्ठः: Vaikuṇṭha (Vishnu)
• वैकुण्ठः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैकुण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• विदिक्षु: in the intermediate directions
• विदिक्षु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विदिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case/locative), बहुवचन

• मधुसूदनः: Madhusūdana (slayer of Madhu)
• मधुसूदनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु + सूदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मधोः सूदनः)

• हृषीकेशः: Hṛṣīkeśa (lord of the senses)
• हृषीकेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृषीक + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (हृषीकाणाम् ईशः)

• अम्बरे: in the sky
• अम्बरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case/locative), एकवचन

• भूमौ: on the earth
• भूमौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case/locative), एकवचन

• रक्षतु: may (he) protect
• रक्षतु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative/benedictive), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन

• महीधरः: Mahīdhara (supporter of the earth)
• महीधरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (महीम् धरति इति/महेः धरः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya; a protective formula embedded in the narrative stream of Ansha 5)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Kṛṣṇa’s early protection in Vraja and the rites/prayers performed for His safety.

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: comprehensive, assuring

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas (worlds)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He descends as Kṛṣṇa to protect devotees and destroy demonic forces that threaten dharma, while revealing His supreme lordship through intimate līlā.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: All-directional protection (dig-bandhana) and stability of the world-order under Viṣṇu’s guardianship.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The one Viṣṇu—named by multiple epithets—pervades directions, sky, and earth as sovereign protector and indwelling ruler.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Practice ‘dig-bandhana’ in prayer: mentally place the Lord’s names in directions and offer fear and vulnerability into His guardianship.

Vishishtadvaita: Many names/roles express one personal Brahman who is simultaneously transcendent (Vaikuṇṭha) and immanent (Hṛṣīkeśa as controller of senses; Mahīdhara sustaining earth).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Vaikuntha
• Mahidhara

FAQs

What is the significance of directional protection (dik-pālana) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames Viṣṇu—not separate guardians—as the all-encompassing protector of every direction, intermediate quarter, sky, and earth, emphasizing a single supreme sovereignty governing cosmic order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine protection through Vishnu’s names?

By invoking distinct epithets (Vaikuṇṭha, Madhusūdana, Hṛṣīkeśa, Mahīdhara), Parāśara presents one Lord active in multiple cosmic functions—abode, victory over evil, mastery of inner faculties, and support of the world.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Viṣṇu is portrayed as the Supreme Reality whose protection is not partial or local but total—spanning space itself—supporting a bhakti-centered vision where refuge in Viṣṇu secures both worldly order and spiritual assurance.