Shloka 77

कालियदमना: यमुनाशुद्धिः, करुणा-निग्रहः, स्तुति-तत्त्वम्

Devanagari script

इत्य् उक्त्वा सर्पराजानं मुमोच भगवान् हरिः प्रणम्य सो ऽपि कृष्णाय जगाम पयसां निधिम्

Transliteration

ity uktvā sarparājānaṃ mumoca bhagavān hariḥ praṇamya so 'pi kṛṣṇāya jagāma payasāṃ nidhim

Translation

Thus speaking to the serpent-king, Bhagavān Hari released him. And he too, bowing to Kṛṣṇa, departed for the ocean, the great treasury of waters.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/Adverbial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उक्त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having said)

• सर्पराजानम्: the serpent-king
• सर्पराजानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्प + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्पाणां राजा)

• मुमोच: released
• मुमोच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/Adverbial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु) → प्रणम्य (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); उपसर्गः प्र-; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• कृष्णाय: to Krishna
• कृष्णाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पयसाम्: of the waters
• पयसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• निधिम्: the repository (ocean)
• निधिम्: Karma (Goal as object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa subdues and reforms the serpent-king to remove a deadly threat to Vraja and restore the purity of the waters.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Safety of creatures and the sanctity/purity of the river’s waters.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even a hostile being, when humbled, attains safety by surrendering (praṇāma) to Bhagavān.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Respond to correction with humility and make amends rather than clinging to harmful habits.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhagavān’s grace operates within the world to restore order while remaining the compassionate Lord approachable through surrender.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavan Hari (Vishnu/Krishna)
• Sarparaja (serpent-king, Kāliya implied)
• Ocean (payasāṃ nidhi)

FAQs

What is the significance of releasing the serpent-king in the Vishnu Purana?

It shows Hari’s sovereignty joined with mercy: wrongdoing is restrained, yet surrender and obedience allow restoration rather than annihilation, reaffirming dharma through compassion.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of devotion (praṇāma) here?

By noting the serpent-king’s bow to Kṛṣṇa before departing, the narrative frames transformation as arising from recognition of the Supreme—submission becomes the turning point from fear to refuge.

What is the theological importance of calling Kṛṣṇa ‘Bhagavān Hari’ in this context?

It identifies Kṛṣṇa with the Supreme Reality (Hari/Viṣṇu), emphasizing that the power to bind, correct, and liberate belongs to the Lord who upholds universal order.