Shloka 23

कालियदमना: यमुनाशुद्धिः, करुणा-निग्रहः, स्तुति-तत्त्वम्

Devanagari script

ददृशुश् चापि ते तत्र सर्पराजवशं गतम् निष्प्रयत्नकृतं कृष्णं सर्पभोगेन वेष्टितम्

Transliteration

dadṛśuś cāpi te tatra sarparājavaśaṃ gatam niṣprayatnakṛtaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ sarpabhogena veṣṭitam

Translation

There they beheld Kṛṣṇa as though under the dominion of the serpent-king—motionless, as if bereft of effort—tightly encircled by the serpent’s coils.

Word by Word

• ददृशुः: they saw
• ददृशुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• अपि: also
• अपि: Emphasis/Addition (अवधारण/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावन/अपि-कार (particle)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adverbial (अधिकरण-भाव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• सर्पराजवशम्: the control/power of the serpent-king
• सर्पराजवशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्पराज (प्रातिपदिक) + वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—सर्पराजस्य वशः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• गतम्: gone into / fallen under
• गतम्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: गम्-धातोः क्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (कृष्णम् इति)

• निष्प्रयत्नकृतम्: made effortless / done without effort
• निष्प्रयत्नकृतम्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः (उपसर्ग) + प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—निष्प्रयत्नेन कृतम् (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष/अव्ययीभावार्थः)

• कृष्णम्: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सर्पभोगेन: by the serpent’s coil
• सर्पभोगेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्प (प्रातिपदिक) + भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समासः—सर्पस्य भोगः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• वेष्टितम्: wrapped/encircled
• वेष्टितम्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेष्ट् (धातु) → वेष्टित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वेष्ट्-धातोः क्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (कृष्णम्)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: graphic, suspense-building narration

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To subdue the serpent-king’s tyranny and protect Vraja, demonstrating the Lord’s supremacy over all nāgas and poisons.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Removal of toxic oppression over the Yamunā and protection of the community dependent on her waters.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Characters & Entities

• Krishna

FAQs

What is the significance of Krishna appearing subdued by the serpent king in the Vishnu Purana?

It heightens the dramatic contrast between appearance and reality: Bhagavan may seem overpowered, yet the scene sets up the restoration of dharma through His sovereign will.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the scene of Krishna being wrapped in the serpent’s coils?

Parāśara narrates it as an observed condition—Krishna seen as motionless and encircled—framing the moment that precedes divine intervention and the serpent’s eventual subjugation.

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

The verse underscores Vishnu’s supreme lordship expressed through lila: even when He seems constrained, His transcendence and authority over all beings remain intact.