Shloka 28

The Killing of Keśī and Vyomāsura; Nārada’s Prophetic Praise of Kṛṣṇa

Devanagari script

मयपुत्रो महामायो व्योमो गोपालवेषधृक् । मेषायितानपोवाह प्रायश्चोरायितो बहून् ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

maya-putro mahā-māyo vyomo gopāla-veṣa-dhṛk meṣāyitān apovāha prāyaś corāyito bahūn

Translation

Entonces apareció Vyoma, gran mago, hijo del demonio Maya, disfrazado de pastorcillo. Fingiendo unirse al juego como ladrón, fue robando a la mayoría de los muchachos que hacían de ovejas.

Synonyms

• मयपुत्रः: son of Maya
• मयपुत्रः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मय + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative) ‘मयस्य पुत्रः’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• महामायः: great magician
• महामायः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (mahā-māya: ‘greatly illusory/magical’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• व्योमः: Vyoma (name)
• व्योमः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्योम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (नाम)

• गोपालवेषधृक्: wearing a cowherd’s disguise
• गोपालवेषधृक्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोपाल + वेष + धृ (धातु)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (गोपालस्य वेषः इति; ‘gopāla-veṣa’ + धृक्); कृदन्त ‘धृक्’ (धृ-धातोः क्विप्/क्विन्-प्रत्ययान्त, ‘धारयन्’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• मेषायितान्: those made to appear as sheep
• मेषायितान्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेषायित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle used substantively), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• अपोवाह: carried off
• अपोवाह: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; अप-उपसर्ग

• प्रायः: mostly
• प्रायः: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रायः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘mostly/for the most part’

• चोरायितः: acting like a thief
• चोरायितः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चोरायित (कृदन्त; चोरय्/चोर-इति नामधातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘चोरवत् आचरितः/चोररूपेण’

• बहून्: many (of them)
• बहून्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

Characters & Entities

• Vyoma
• Maya
• Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

Who is Vyomāsura in Srimad Bhagavatam and what did he do?

Vyomāsura is a demon (son of Maya) who disguised himself as a cowherd boy and abducted many of Kṛṣṇa’s friends by using illusion, making them appear like sheep and carrying them away.

Why does the Bhagavatam mention that Vyoma was the son of Maya?

It highlights the source of his deceptive power—he was connected with strong asuric mysticism and illusion—showing how demons exploit disguise and māyā against devotees.

What is the practical lesson of Vyomāsura’s disguise for devotees today?

Not everything that looks friendly is spiritually safe; devotees should cultivate discernment, stay in good association, and take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, who ultimately protects His devotees from deception.