Shloka 57

कालियदमना: यमुनाशुद्धिः, करुणा-निग्रहः, स्तुति-तत्त्वम्

Devanagari script

ततः कुरु जगत्स्वामिन् प्रसादम् अवसीदतः प्राणांस् त्यजति नागो ऽयं भर्तृभिक्षा प्रदीयताम्

Transliteration

tataḥ kuru jagatsvāmin prasādam avasīdataḥ prāṇāṃs tyajati nāgo 'yaṃ bhartṛbhikṣā pradīyatām

Translation

Therefore, O Lord of the universe, be gracious to one who sinks in distress. This serpent is about to relinquish his life-breath; grant him the alms he seeks—his sustenance and protection.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/काल-देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — तस्मात्/ततः = ‘then/thereafter’

• कुरु: do, grant
• कुरु: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• जगत्स्वामिन्: O lord of the world
• जगत्स्वामिन्: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् + स्वामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जगतः स्वामी)

• प्रसादम्: grace, favor
• प्रसादम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), एकवचन

• अवसीदतः: of (him) who is fainting
• अवसीदतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव + सद् (धातु) → अवसीदत् (कृदन्त/शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; पुं/नपुंसक-सम्भव; ‘of (one) who is sinking/fainting’

• प्राणान्: life-breaths, life
• प्राणान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), बहुवचन

• त्यजति: is giving up, abandons
• त्यजति: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नागः: the serpent
• नागः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• भर्तृभिक्षा: alms for (my) husband
• भर्तृभिक्षा: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ + भिक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भर्तुः भिक्षा)

• प्रदीयताम्: let it be given
• प्रदीयताम्: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Unspecified devotee/supplicant addressing the Supreme Lord (as narrated by Sage Parāśara to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Narration of Kṛṣṇa’s acts and the devotional responses they evoke.

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: compassionate and faith-awakening

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: As the present Lord accessible to all beings, he is entreated to protect and sustain a distressed creature seeking refuge.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Compassionate protection of the vulnerable and the duty of the Lord to accept śaraṇāgati (refuge).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: In helplessness, the proper recourse is surrender to the Jagatsvāmin, who alone can grant protection and sustenance.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: When overwhelmed, consciously practice śaraṇāgati through prayer, humility, and trust rather than self-reliance alone.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord’s lordship includes gracious responsiveness to individual souls (cit) who depend on him for support.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Serpent (Nāga)

FAQs

What is the significance of prasāda (divine grace) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames grace as Vishnu’s sovereign compassion that rescues beings at the edge of death, showing that preservation of life and order ultimately depends on the Lord’s favor.

How does Sage Parāśara explain surrender and refuge in this context?

Through a direct plea to the “Lord of the universe,” the narrative models śaraṇāgati: acknowledging helplessness and requesting the Lord’s sustaining protection as the decisive remedy.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Vishnu is invoked as Jagatsvāmin—the cosmic sovereign—whose mercy alone can uphold life, reinforcing the Purana’s Vaishnava view of Vishnu as the supreme preserver and ultimate refuge.