Shloka 35

कालियदमना: यमुनाशुद्धिः, करुणा-निग्रहः, स्तुति-तत्त्वम्

Devanagari script

किमर्थं देवदेवेश भावो ऽयं मानुषस् त्वया व्यज्यते ऽत्यन्तम् आत्मानं किम् अनन्तं न वेत्सि यत्

Transliteration

kimarthaṃ devadeveśa bhāvo 'yaṃ mānuṣas tvayā vyajyate 'tyantam ātmānaṃ kim anantaṃ na vetsi yat

Translation

Why, O Lord of lords, do You so fully assume and display this human mode of being? Do You not know Yourself as the Infinite—why reveal Yourself so completely in a human guise?

Word by Word

• किमर्थम्: for what reason?
• किमर्थम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• देवदेवेश: O Lord of the god of gods
• देवदेवेश: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: 'देवानां देवः' + 'देवदेवस्य ईशः'—Lord of the god of gods), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th case), एकवचन; Vocative singular

• भावः: state/nature
• भावः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (Subject apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• मानुषः: human
• मानुषः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular qualifying भावः

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Kartr (Agent in passive/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया, एकवचन; Instrumental singular 'by you'

• व्यज्यते: is manifested
• व्यज्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√अञ्ज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present passive: 'is manifested/expressed'

• अत्यन्तम्: completely/utterly
• अत्यन्तम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्यन्तम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• आत्मानम्: yourself/the Self
• आत्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular used interrogatively

• अनन्तम्: endless/infinite
• अनन्तम्: Karma (Object complement/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular qualifying आत्मानम् (or as predicate object)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• वेत्सि: do you know
• वेत्सि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present: 'you know'

• यत्: that/which
• यत्: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय/यद्-शब्दः (relative particle)

Speaker

A devotee/royal interlocutor addressing Lord Vishnu (as Devadevesha) within the dynastic-episode narration recounted by Sage Parāśara to Maitreya

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To veil infinite divinity in a human-like form so devotees can approach him with intimacy while he accomplishes protection and dharma-restoration.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Right understanding of the Lord’s avatāra—divinity freely self-manifesting without limitation

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The avatāra’s human appearance is a deliberate self-revelation of the Infinite, not ignorance or limitation in the Lord.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Hold together intimacy and reverence: relate to God personally while remembering the boundless nature that exceeds all forms.

Vishishtadvaita: The Infinite Lord can truly assume a finite-seeming mode without ceasing to be infinite—form is a real mode of divine self-manifestation, not mere illusion.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of Vishnu appearing in a human form in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames avatāra as a deliberate divine manifestation: the Infinite Lord reveals Himself in a relatable, historical form to uphold dharma and guide beings, without losing His transcendence.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the concept of the Infinite (Ananta) in narrative episodes?

Through dialogue and praise, the Purana presents Vishnu as simultaneously beyond limitation (Ananta) and freely self-disclosing within the world—so the story teaches metaphysics through lived events.

What is the theological importance of calling Vishnu 'Devadeveśa' here?

It asserts Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty over all gods: even when He appears human, His status as the highest reality and ruler of cosmic order remains unchanged.