Shloka 18

कालियदमना: यमुनाशुद्धिः, करुणा-निग्रहः, स्तुति-तत्त्वम्

Devanagari script

तं तत्र पतितं दृष्ट्वा सर्पभोगनिपीडितम् गोपा व्रजम् उपागम्य चुक्रुशुः शोकलालसाः

Transliteration

taṃ tatra patitaṃ dṛṣṭvā sarpabhoganipīḍitam gopā vrajam upāgamya cukruśuḥ śokalālasāḥ

Translation

Seeing Him lying there, crushed beneath the serpent’s coils, the cowherds hurried back to Vraja and cried out—hearts seized by grief and frantic longing.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (adverb: there)

• पतितम्: fallen
• पतितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √पत् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (fallen)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √दृश् (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्ययीभाव/क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): having seen

• सर्प-भोग-निपीडितम्: crushed/pressed by the serpent’s coils
• सर्प-भोग-निपीडितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्प (प्रातिपदिक) + भोग (प्रातिपदिक) + निपीडित (नि-√पीड्, क्त, कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; तत्पुरुषः (सर्पस्य भोगेन निपीडितम्)

• गोपाः: the cowherd men
• गोपाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• व्रजम्: to Vraja (the settlement)
• व्रजम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उपागम्य: having gone/approached
• उपागम्य: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उप-आ-√गम् (धातु) + क्त्वा (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund): having gone/approached

• चुक्रुशुः: they cried out
• चुक्रुशुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √क्रुश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• शोकलालसाः: eager/overcome with grief
• शोकलालसाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोक (प्रातिपदिक) + लालस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (शोके लालसाः/शोकलालसाः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The cowherds’ reaction upon seeing Krishna crushed by serpent-coils

Teaching: Historical

Quality: compassionate, affective narration

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Krishna draws the crisis into view so that Vraja’s dependence on him ripens into single-minded refuge (śaraṇāgati) before deliverance.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Protection of the community of devotees; reaffirmation that Bhagavān safeguards those who take refuge

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The devotees’ hearts instinctively run to the community and to Bhagavān in crisis, revealing exclusive dependence on Krishna as their refuge.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: In distress, turn first to remembrance, prayer, and satsanga rather than panic or isolation.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhagavān is personally accessible to the devotee-community; dependence (śeṣatva) becomes lived surrender (prapatti).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Serpent (Kāliya / nāga)
• Vraja

FAQs

What is the significance of the cowherds’ lament in this Vishnu Purana verse?

Their cry represents collective surrender and intense devotion—when Krishna appears endangered by the serpent, Vraja’s love turns into urgent remembrance that precipitates divine rescue.

How does Sage Parāśara frame this event within the Purana’s teaching style?

Parāśara narrates it as lila: the Supreme (Vishnu as Krishna) allows a dramatic crisis to unfold so the devotees’ dependence and the Lord’s protective sovereignty become unmistakable.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu (as Krishna) in this context?

Even when portrayed as ‘fallen’ under coils, Krishna remains the supreme controller—this contrast highlights Vishnu’s transcendence and his compassionate engagement with devotees through lila.