Shloka 29

Multi-form Manifestations, Indra–Kāma Incarnations, Pravāha, and the Twofold Buddhi

Sense-Discipline and Exclusive Refuge in Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

यः कृष्णपुत्त्रः प्रद्युम्नः काम एव प्रकीर्तितः / प्रकृष्टप्रकाशरूपत्वात्प्रद्युम्न इति नामवान्

Transliteration

yaḥ kṛṣṇaputtraḥ pradyumnaḥ kāma eva prakīrtitaḥ / prakṛṣṭaprakāśarūpatvātpradyumna iti nāmavān

Translation

ಕೃಷ್ಣನ ಪುತ್ರ ಪ್ರದ್ಯುಮ್ನನು ಕಾಮದೇವನೇ ಎಂದು ಕೀರ್ತಿಸಲ್ಪಟ್ಟಿದ್ದಾನೆ. ಅತ್ಯುತ್ತಮ ಪ್ರಕಾಶಮಯ ರೂಪವಿರುವುದರಿಂದ ಅವನಿಗೆ ‘ಪ್ರದ್ಯುಮ್ನ’ ಎಂಬ ನಾಮವಾಯಿತು.

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun): 'who'

• कृष्ण-पुत्रः: Krishna's son
• कृष्ण-पुत्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'कृष्णस्य पुत्रः'

• प्रद्युम्नः: Pradyumna
• प्रद्युम्नः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रद्युम्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम

• कामः: Kama (god of love)
• कामः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• प्रकीर्तितः: is proclaimed
• प्रकीर्तितः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative participle)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-कीर्त् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय) → प्रकीर्तित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP): 'is proclaimed'

• प्रकृष्ट-प्रकाश-रूपत्वात्: because of (his) form of excellent radiance
• प्रकृष्ट-प्रकाश-रूपत्वात्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रकाश (प्रातिपदिक) + रूपत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative): 'प्रकृष्टस्य प्रकाशस्य रूपत्वम्' → 'रूपत्वात्' = because of the nature/form

• प्रद्युम्नः: Pradyumna
• प्रद्युम्नः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रद्युम्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• इति: thus/“as”
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• नामवान्: having the name (so-called)
• नामवान्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नामवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तद्धितान्त (मतुप्/वतुप्-अर्थ): 'having the name'

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Divine beauty (tejas/prakāśa) is a sign of higher presence; names encode qualities and cosmic correspondences (Pradyumna ↔ Kāma).

Vedantic Theme: Saguṇa-brahman apprehended through auspicious attributes (kalyāṇa-guṇa) such as tejas and सौन्दर्य.

Application: Refine perception: let beauty and radiance remind one of the divine source; channel desire into devotion and ethical affection rather than compulsion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shringara

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: sacred-city

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.28.30 (divine embodiment in Bharata)

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Pradyumna
• Kama

FAQs

What does this verse say about Pradyumna in the Garuda Purana?

It identifies Pradyumna, Kṛṣṇa’s son, with Kāma and explains his name as arising from his exceptionally radiant nature.

Why is Pradyumna called ‘Pradyumna’ according to this verse?

Because his form is characterized by ‘prakṛṣṭa prakāśa’—supreme, excellent radiance—hence he is named Pradyumna.

What is a practical takeaway from this teaching today?

It encourages seeing desire (kāma) as a force that should be illumined and refined—guided by clarity and higher purpose rather than impulse.