Shloka 73
कालियदमना: यमुनाशुद्धिः, करुणा-निग्रहः, स्तुति-तत्त्वम्
तथापि यज् जगत्स्वामी दण्डं पातितवान् मयि स सोढो ऽयं वरं दण्डस् त्वत्तो नान्यत्र मे वरः
tathāpi yaj jagatsvāmī daṇḍaṃ pātitavān mayi sa soḍho 'yaṃ varaṃ daṇḍas tvatto nānyatra me varaḥ
Even so, the punishment the Lord of the worlds has laid upon me—I have borne it. Let that very chastisement be my boon; for apart from You, I seek no other blessing.
A devotee addressing Lord Vishnu (within Parasara’s narration to Maitreya)
Avatara: Krishna
Purpose: Krishna descends to protect beings and reassert dharma by transforming even punishment into grace for the repentant.
Leela: Moksha-dana
Dharma Restored: Merciful governance: the Lord restrains harm while offering refuge to the surrendered offender
Concept: For the surrendered soul, even suffering administered by the Lord is embraced as a boon, because the only desired ‘fruit’ is the Lord Himself.
Vedantic Theme: Moksha
Application: Reframe adversity as a corrective mercy: seek inner transformation and closeness to God rather than external rewards.
Vishishtadvaita: Prapatti-bhāva: the jīva depends on the Lord’s grace; the Lord’s chastisement and protection are both modes of His saving relationship with the soul.
Vishnu Form: Krishna
Bhakti Type: Dasya
FAQs
This verse frames the Lord’s chastisement (daṇḍa) as purifying grace—an instrument of moral order that the devotee welcomes because it comes from Vishnu, the sovereign of the universe.
By placing on the devotee’s lips the claim “apart from You, I seek no other boon,” the dialogue underscores that true bhakti values Vishnu’s presence and will above any external benefit.
Calling Vishnu “Jagatsvami” highlights His supreme governance: even suffering and correction operate under His cosmic authority, and the devotee interprets that authority as benevolent, not merely punitive.