Shloka 47

कालियदमना: यमुनाशुद्धिः, करुणा-निग्रहः, स्तुति-तत्त्वम्

Devanagari script

तं निर्भुग्नशिरोग्रीवम् आस्येभ्यः स्रुतशोणितम् विलोक्य शरणं जग्मुस् तत्पत्न्यो मधुसूदनम्

Transliteration

taṃ nirbhugnaśirogrīvam āsyebhyaḥ srutaśoṇitam vilokya śaraṇaṃ jagmus tatpatnyo madhusūdanam

Translation

Seeing him with head and neck crushed and blood streaming from his mouths, his wives—overwhelmed with terror—went for refuge to Madhusudana.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (कर्म), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम् (Masculine, Accusative, Singular; pronoun)

• निर्भुग्न-शिरः-ग्रीवम्: with head and neck broken/bent
• निर्भुग्न-शिरः-ग्रीवम्: Karman (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्भुग्न (कृदन्त-विशेषण; √भञ्ज् (धातु) + नि: उपसर्ग; भूतकर्मणि/कर्मणि-प्रयोगः) + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्रीवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (निर्भुग्ने शिरसि ग्रीवा यस्य/यत्र) इति; विशेषणम् (Neuter, Accusative, Singular; determinative compound)

• आस्येभ्यः: from (his) mouths
• आस्येभ्यः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (अपादान), बहुवचनम् (Neuter, Ablative, Plural)

• स्रुत-शोणितम्: with blood flowing
• स्रुत-शोणितम्: Karman (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्रुत (कृदन्त; √स्रु (धातु) भूतकृदन्त/क्त) + शोणित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः—स्रुतं शोणितं यस्य (Neuter, Accusative, Singular; appositional compound)

• विलोक्य: having seen
• विलोक्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि + √लोक् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (Gerund/Absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया (having seen)

• शरणम्: refuge
• शरणम्: Karman (Goal as object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; गत्यर्थे कर्म (Neuter, Accusative, Singular; object of motion)

• जग्मुः: they went
• जग्मुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम् (Perfect, 3rd person, plural)

• तत्-पत्न्यः: his wives
• तत्-पत्न्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—तस्य पत्न्यः (Feminine, Nominative, Plural; genitive determinative compound)

• मधुसूदनम्: Madhusūdana (Vishnu)
• मधुसूदनम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक) + सूदन (प्रातिपदिक; √सूद् (धातु) कर्तृ-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—मधोः सूदनः (Masculine, Accusative, Singular; epithet)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating) to Maitreya

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He is approached as the supreme protector who grants refuge and removes fear in the midst of violent crisis.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) and protection of devotees amid adharma and fear.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: In overwhelming fear and helplessness, taking refuge in Madhusūdana is the sure path to protection.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice śaraṇāgati—turn to God first in crisis through prayer, remembrance, and ethical steadiness.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord is personally accessible as protector (śeṣin) to dependent souls (śeṣa) through surrender.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of seeking refuge (śaraṇa) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents śaraṇāgati as an immediate spiritual response to crisis: when worldly supports collapse, Vishnu is approached as the final, unfailing protector.

How does Sage Parāśara explain protection in this narrative context?

Parāśara frames the event so that the distressed turn to Vishnu (Madhusūdana), highlighting that preservation and rescue ultimately rest with the Supreme Lord rather than human power.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is invoked not merely as a heroic deity but as the supreme refuge whose sovereignty sustains order and whose grace answers the plea of those who surrender.