Shloka 5

कालियदमना: यमुनाशुद्धिः, करुणा-निग्रहः, स्तुति-तत्त्वम्

Devanagari script

तम् अतीव महारौद्रं मृत्युवक्त्रम् इवापरम् विलोक्य चिन्तयाम् आस भगवान् मधुसूदनः

Transliteration

tam atīva mahāraudraṃ mṛtyuvaktram ivāparam vilokya cintayām āsa bhagavān madhusūdanaḥ

Translation

Beholding that exceedingly dreadful sight—like another very mouth of Death—the Blessed Lord, Madhusūdana, paused and entered into deep contemplation.

Word by Word

• तम्: that (it)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (acc. sg.; refers to ह्रदम्)

• अतीव: exceedingly
• अतीव: Sambandha (Degree/intensifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव (अव्यय)
• Form: अतिशयार्थक-अव्यय (intensifier)

• महारौद्रम्: very fierce/terrible
• महारौद्रम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (कर्मधारय; 'महच्च तत् रौद्रम्'), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies तम्)

• मृत्युवक्त्रम्: the mouth of death
• मृत्युवक्त्रम्: Karma (Object in comparison/उपमेय-उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'मृत्योः वक्त्रम्'—mouth of death), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपमानपदम्

• इव: as if/like
• इव: Sambandha (Comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (comparison particle)

• अपरम्: another (as it were)
• अपरम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (tam...: 'another/second')

• विलोक्य: having looked at/seen
• विलोक्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लोक् (धातु) + वि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): 'having seen'

• चिन्तयाम्: thought/pondered
• चिन्तयाम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्तय् (धातु; denominative from चिन्ता)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; परिप्रयोगः: 'चिन्तयाम् आस' = परिप्रास-भूतकाल (periphrastic past: 'began/continued to think')

• आस: was (did)
• आस: Kriya (Auxiliary/सहायक-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; सहायक-क्रिया (auxiliary with चिन्तयाम्)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masc., nom. sg.)

• मधुसूदनः: Madhusūdana (slayer of Madhu)
• मधुसूदनः: Karta (Apposition to subject/कर्ता-समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक) + सूदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष; 'मधोः सूदनः'—slayer of Madhu), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भगवान् इत्यस्य विशेषण/उपनाम

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To decisively confront the death-dealing threat of Kāliya and re-establish dharmic safety in the Yamunā and Vraja.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Protection of life and restoration of the river’s purifying function within Vraja.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord’s ‘cintā’ is not human uncertainty but compassionate, sovereign deliberation for loka-saṃgraha—upholding cosmic and social order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Before acting, pause in inward recollection and choose the course that best protects others and supports dharma.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhagavān’s purposeful will governs the world: a personal Supreme who acts in history for the good of embodied beings.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Mrityu (Death)

FAQs

What is the significance of comparing the foe to the “mouth of Death” in the Vishnu Purana?

It heightens the sense of cosmic threat: the danger is portrayed as death itself, underscoring that only Vishnu’s sovereign will can contain such annihilating power.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine action here—why does Vishnu ‘think’ before acting?

Parāśara’s narration depicts Vishnu as fully sovereign and deliberate: his reflection signals purposeful governance of the cosmos, not impulsive reaction—action aligned with sustaining universal order.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu (Madhusūdana) in this context?

Vishnu is shown as the supreme preserver whose awareness and resolve stand above death and terror, affirming a Vaishnava view of the Lord as the ultimate ground of protection and cosmic stability.