Shloka 13

Śakaṭa-bhañjana, Naming by Garga, Dāmodara and Yamala-arjuna, and the Move to Vṛndāvana

Devanagari script

यदा यशोदा तौ बालाव् एकस्थानचराव् उभौ शशाक नो वारयितुं क्रीडन्ताव् अतिचञ्चलौ

Transliteration

yadā yaśodā tau bālāv ekasthānacarāv ubhau śaśāka no vārayituṃ krīḍantāv aticañcalau

Translation

Whenever Yaśodā tried to keep those two boys—both roaming together in the same place—from their play, she could not restrain them at all; for as they played, they were exceedingly restless and swift in their mischief.

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal conjunction)

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

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• बालौ: (as) two boys
• बालौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन; ‘तौ’ इत्यस्य विशेषणरूपेण

• एकस्थानचरौ: moving about in one place (together)
• एकस्थानचरौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक) + चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; ‘बालौ’ इत्यस्य विशेषण; एकस्मिन् स्थाने चरन्तीति

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; ‘तौ’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• शशाक: was able
• शशाक: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शक् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नो: not
• नो: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय; ‘न’ + ‘उ’ (emphatic) रूपेण

• वारयितुम्: to stop
• वारयितुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वारयितुम् (कृदन्त, तुमुन्; √वृ/√वार् caus. ‘वारयति’)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive); प्रयोजनार्थ

• क्रीडन्तौ: playing
• क्रीडन्तौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रीडन्त (कृदन्त, वर्तमानकृदन्त/शतृ, √क्रीड्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; ‘तौ’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• अतिचञ्चलौ: very restless
• अतिचञ्चलौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + चञ्चल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; ‘तौ’ इत्यस्य विशेषण; अति-उपपदपूर्वक

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The irresistibility of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma’s play and Yaśodā’s inability to restrain them.

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: intimate, descriptive

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To enact bāla-līlā that deepens devotees’ parental affection and demonstrates Bhagavān’s willing submission to love.

Leela: Bala

Dharma Restored: Household order and affectionate discipline in Vraja, revealing bhakti’s supremacy over mere power.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Divinity is not controlled by force, yet in līlā He becomes ‘unrestrainable’ in play while allowing Himself to be bound by love.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Replace coercive religiosity with steady, affectionate practice; accept that spiritual growth is guided more by grace than control.

Vishishtadvaita: God’s sovereignty coexists with genuine relational exchange (bhakta-bhāva), affirming a real personal Lord within the world.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Yashoda
• Krishna
• Balarama

FAQs

What is the significance of Krishna’s childhood restlessness in the Vishnu Purana?

It highlights līlā—divine play—where the Supreme (Vishnu as Krishna) appears as an ordinary child, drawing devotees like Yaśodā into intimate, love-centered devotion rather than distant awe.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the avatāra’s human-like behavior here?

Through narrative description rather than abstract doctrine: Parāśara depicts Krishna and Balarāma acting like lively boys, implying that the Lord voluntarily adopts human traits to delight devotees and fulfill cosmic purposes.

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

Even in seemingly mundane childhood mischief, Vishnu’s supremacy is implied—no one can truly ‘bind’ or control the divine will; yet the Lord allows loving relationships to flourish through approachable, embodied līlā.