Shloka 44

कालियदमना: यमुनाशुद्धिः, करुणा-निग्रहः, स्तुति-तत्त्वम्

Devanagari script

आनम्य चापि हस्ताभ्याम् उभाभ्यां मध्यमं फणम् आरुह्याभुग्नशिरसि प्रननर्तोरुविक्रमः

Transliteration

ānamya cāpi hastābhyām ubhābhyāṃ madhyamaṃ phaṇam āruhyābhugnaśirasi prananartoruvikramaḥ

Translation

Then, with both hands, he bent down the serpent’s central hood; and mounting that bowed head, the mighty-striding Lord began to dance—sportively displaying his sovereign power that subdues even venomous pride.

Word by Word

• आनम्य: having bent
• आनम्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आनम्य (आ+√नम् धातु)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (क्त्वा/ल्यप्-प्रत्यय, gerund); 'having bent'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थे (also/even)

• हस्ताभ्याम्: with (his) two hands
• हस्ताभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), द्विवचन; करण

• उभाभ्याम्: with both
• उभाभ्याम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण; तृतीया (3rd), द्विवचन; 'with both' (agreeing with हस्ताभ्याम्)

• मध्यमम्: middle
• मध्यमम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (to फणम्)

• फणम्: hood (of the serpent)
• फणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे नपुंसकवत्), द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• आरुह्य: having climbed onto
• आरुह्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आरुह्य (आ+√रुह् धातु)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (क्त्वा/ल्यप्-प्रत्यय, gerund); 'having mounted/climbed'

• अभुग्नशिरसि: on (the serpent) whose head was unbent/raised
• अभुग्नशिरसि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + भुग्न + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (अभुग्नं शिरो यस्य = whose head is not bent/raised); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• प्रननर्त: danced
• प्रननर्त: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रनृत् (प्र+√नृत् धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• उरुविक्रमः: the mighty-striding one
• उरुविक्रमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरु + विक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (उरुः विक्रमः यस्य = of great stride/valor); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कृष्णस्य विशेषणरूपेण

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To humble Kāliya’s venomous pride and protect the Yamunā and Vraja by overpowering the serpent through playful yet sovereign dance.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Subjugation of violent adharma and purification of a life-sustaining river for all beings.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pride and toxicity (symbolized by the serpent’s raised hood) are subdued by divine sovereignty, which can appear as playful līlā yet accomplish cosmic protection.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice humility and self-restraint; let ‘dance’ signify disciplined repetition of sādhanā that bends the ego’s hood.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord’s immanence in līlā does not diminish his supremacy; the finite is governed by the infinite without collapsing their distinction.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Sakhya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Vishnu
• Kaliya (serpent)

FAQs

What is the significance of Krishna bending the serpent’s hood in the Vishnu Purana?

It dramatizes divine sovereignty: Krishna subdues the poisonous arrogance of adharma and restores order without losing his playful, transcendent composure.

How does Sage Parāśara frame Krishna’s action in this episode?

As a narrated lila where the Lord’s effortless mastery is shown through a simple gesture—bending the hood and dancing—signaling that cosmic power operates even in intimate, local events.

What is the theological importance of calling Krishna “Uruvikrama” here?

It links Krishna directly with Vishnu’s supreme identity: the same all-pervading Lord famed for world-striding cosmic acts is present in Vraja, exercising absolute control over hostile forces.