Shloka 76
कालियदमना: यमुनाशुद्धिः, करुणा-निग्रहः, स्तुति-तत्त्वम्
मत्पदानि च ते सर्प दृष्ट्वा मूर्धनि सागरे गरुडः पन्नगरिपुस् त्वयि न प्रहरिष्यति
matpadāni ca te sarpa dṛṣṭvā mūrdhani sāgare garuḍaḥ pannagaripus tvayi na prahariṣyati
O serpent, when Garuḍa—the foe of the nāgas—sees upon your head in the ocean the marks of My feet, he will not strike you.
Lord Vishnu (Nārāyaṇa), as narrated by Sage Parāśara to Maitreya
Avatara: Krishna
Purpose: Krishna descends to establish a protective dharmic order where His mark grants safety even amid natural enmities.
Leela: Loka-rakshana
Dharma Restored: Sanctuary under divine sign: the Lord’s protection overrides cycles of vengeance when repentance and obedience are present
Concept: The Lord’s sign (His feet/śaraṇāgati-token) grants protection that restrains even powerful hostile forces.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Anchor life in a tangible remembrance of the divine—daily practices that keep ‘the Lord’s mark’ present in conduct and mind.
Vishishtadvaita: Grace is mediated through the Lord’s personal presence and insignia; protection is relational, not merely mechanical law.
Vishnu Form: Krishna
Bhakti Type: Shanta
FAQs
In this verse, Vishnu’s footprints function as a sacred protective sign: their presence restrains even Garuḍa, indicating that divine sovereignty overrides ordinary hostility.
Through the dialogue he reports, protection is shown as a direct expression of Vishnu’s cosmic rulership—Vishnu’s mark establishes a boundary that other powerful beings must obey.
Vishnu is presented as the supreme regulator of order: his will safeguards devotees or those under his sign, demonstrating that dharma is upheld by the Supreme, not merely by natural power.