Shloka 33
यमस्य अधिकारभङ्गः — वैष्णवस्य लक्षणम्
Freedom from Yama through Hari-śaraṇāgati
कमलनयन वासुदेव विष्णो धरणिधराच्युत शङ्खचक्रपाणे भव शरणम् इतीरयन्ति ये वै त्यज भट दूरतरेण तान् अपापान्
kamalanayana vāsudeva viṣṇo dharaṇidharācyuta śaṅkhacakrapāṇe bhava śaraṇam itīrayanti ye vai tyaja bhaṭa dūratareṇa tān apāpān
'हे कमलनयन वासुदेव! हे विष्णु! हे पृथ्वी को धारण करने वाले! हे अच्युत! हे शंख और चक्र धारण करने वाले! आप ही मेरे शरण हों।' जो लोग ऐसा कहते हैं, हे योद्धा (यमदूत), उन निष्पाप भक्तों को छोड़ दो और उनसे बहुत दूर रहो।
Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya; verse framed as an injunction to a 'bhaṭa'—a warrior/attendant, often read as a command to hostile forces or agents of harm)
FAQs
This verse presents refuge in Vāsudeva-Viṣṇu as a decisive spiritual protection: the one who sincerely calls Him “my refuge” is described as apāpa (untainted), beyond the reach of hostile forces.
By invoking specific epithets—Kamalanayana, Dharaṇīdhara, Acyuta, Śaṅkhacakrapāṇi—the verse ties devotion to Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty and protective power, implying that remembrance and surrender align one with divine order.
Vishnu is portrayed as the Supreme Refuge whose constancy (Acyuta) and cosmic authority (bearer of the earth; conch and discus) make Him the ultimate protector of devotees—central to Vaishnava devotion and the Purana’s vision of universal governance.