Shloka 40

कालियदमना: यमुनाशुद्धिः, करुणा-निग्रहः, स्तुति-तत्त्वम्

Devanagari script

अवतार्य भवान् पूर्वं गोकुले ऽत्र सुराङ्गनाः क्रीडार्थम् आत्मनः पश्चाद् अवतीर्णो ऽसि शाश्वत

Transliteration

avatārya bhavān pūrvaṃ gokule 'tra surāṅganāḥ krīḍārtham ātmanaḥ paścād avatīrṇo 'si śāśvata

Translation

First You brought down the heavenly maidens here to Gokula, that they might be companions in Your divine play; and thereafter You Yourself descended, O Eternal One.

Word by Word

• अवतार्य: having brought down
• अवतार्य: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-तॄ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having caused to descend / having brought down’

• भवान्: you
• भवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक/भवन्-शब्द)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; आदरार्थ-प्रयोग (‘you’)

• पूर्वम्: first/beforehand
• पूर्वम्: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (अव्यय/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-रूप)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: formerly/first)

• गोकुले: in Gokula
• गोकुले: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• सुर-अङ्गनाः: celestial women
• सुर-अङ्गनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + अङ्गना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘सुराणाम् अङ्गनाः’)

• क्रीडा-अर्थम्: for play/sport
• क्रीडा-अर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रीडा + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (‘क्रीडायाः अर्थम्’ = for play)

• आत्मनः: of yourself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (afterwards)

• अवतीर्णः: (having) descended
• अवतीर्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-तॄ (धातु) → अवतीर्ण (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/क्तवत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• शाश्वत: O eternal one
• शाश्वत: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाश्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He arranges His earthly līlā by first bringing celestial companions to Gokula and then descending Himself to delight devotees and protect the world.

Leela: Bala

Dharma Restored: Establishment of divine play that nourishes bhakti and safeguards the pastoral community

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord’s descent is coordinated līlā—He prepares the field and companions for divine play that awakens devotion.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Cultivate satsanga and devotional ‘companionship’ (kīrtan, sevā) as the prepared ground where bhakti naturally unfolds.

Vishishtadvaita: The Eternal enters time for līlā while remaining śāśvata, enabling relational devotion without compromising divine fullness.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Madhurya

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Krishna
• Gokula
• Suranganas (celestial maidens)

FAQs

What is the significance of līlā (divine play) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames Krishna’s descent as deliberate līlā: even celestial attendants are arranged first, showing the Lord’s free sovereignty and the purposeful, yet playful, mode of divine action.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Lord’s descent in this context?

Parāśara presents the avatāra as intentional and ordered—first the supporting divine company is brought to Gokula, then the Eternal Lord himself descends—highlighting control, not compulsion.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu (as Krishna) is portrayed as śāśvata, the Eternal Supreme Reality, whose incarnation is an act of will for līlā and the welfare of the world, consistent with Vaishnava devotional theology.