Shloka 23

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

Devanagari script

ते च गोपा महद् दृष्ट्वा पूतनायाः कलेवरम् मृतायाः परमं त्रासं विस्मयं च तदा ययुः

Transliteration

te ca gopā mahad dṛṣṭvā pūtanāyāḥ kalevaram mṛtāyāḥ paramaṃ trāsaṃ vismayaṃ ca tadā yayuḥ

Translation

And the cowherds, seeing the enormous body of Pūtanā lying dead, were at that moment seized by overwhelming terror—and astonishment as well.

Word by Word

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

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• गोपाः: cowherds
• गोपाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• महत्: great, huge
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (कलेवरम् इति)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• पूतनायाः: of Pūtanā
• पूतनायाः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूतना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), एकवचन

• कलेवरम्: body, corpse
• कलेवरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलेवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन

• मृतायाः: dead
• मृतायाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) (dead)

• परमम्: extreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (त्रासम् इति)

• त्रासम्: fear, terror
• त्रासम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन

• विस्मयम्: astonishment
• विस्मयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• ययुः: they went/experienced
• ययुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Consequences of demonic attacks in Kṛṣṇa’s infancy, beginning with Pūtanā, and the community’s reaction.

Teaching: Historical

Quality: vivid, awe-inducing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He descends as Kṛṣṇa to protect Vraja by destroying demoness Pūtanā and to reveal His divinity through bālya-līlā that grants even enemies a salvific end.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Protection of infants and the Vraja community; removal of rākṣasī threat and restoration of safety.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord’s protection can appear as sudden, overwhelming reversal—turning mortal threat into astonishment and safety for the devoted community.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: In crises, anchor attention in the Lord’s names and community support (satsaṅga), interpreting reversals as occasions for deepened trust rather than panic.

Vishishtadvaita: Divine grace operates within history: the personal Lord intervenes concretely to protect His dependents (śaraṇāgati), not merely as an abstract principle.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Pūtanā
• Gopas (cowherds of Vraja/Gokula)

FAQs

What is the significance of the cowherds’ fear and astonishment in the Vishnu Purana?

Their terror and wonder highlight the sudden revelation of the divine: an apparent infant’s safety contrasts with the demoness’s colossal dead body, underscoring Bhagavān’s protective supremacy.

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

Parāśara narrates it as a concrete līlā in Kṛṣṇa’s childhood, showing how the Lord safeguards devotees and overturns adharma—an experiential teaching rather than abstract doctrine.

What is the theological importance of Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa in this context?

Kṛṣṇa’s effortless triumph over Pūtanā signals Viṣṇu’s absolute sovereignty: the Supreme Reality protects the vulnerable and renders hostile forces powerless, reinforcing a bhakti-centered vision of divine grace.