Shloka 1

बलरामस्य वारुणी-प्रसङ्गः, यमुनाकर्षणम्, लक्ष्मी-प्रदत्त-विभूषणम्, रेवती-विवाहः

Devanagari script

वने विचरतस् तस्य सह गोपैर् महात्मनः मानुषछद्मरूपस्य शेषस्य धरणीभृतः

Transliteration

vane vicaratas tasya saha gopair mahātmanaḥ mānuṣachadmarūpasya śeṣasya dharaṇībhṛtaḥ

Translation

ಆ ಮಹಾತ್ಮ ಪ್ರಭು ಗೋಪರೊಂದಿಗೆ ಅರಣ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ವಿಹರಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾಗ, ಭೂಧರ ಶೇಷನೂ ಮಾನವ-ಛದ್ಮ ರೂಪದಲ್ಲಿ ಅವರ ಜೊತೆಯಲ್ಲೇ ಸಾಗುತ್ತಿದ್ದನು।

Word by Word

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative of place)

• विचरतः: of (him) wandering
• विचरतः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु) + विचर (वर्तमान कृदन्त/शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; ‘विचरन्’ इत्यस्य षष्ठी (genitive absolute/possessive)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारी)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सह-योगे तृतीया अपेक्षा (with + instrumental)

• गोपैः: with the cowherds
• गोपैः: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled one
• महात्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• मानुषछद्मरूपस्य: of (him) whose form is a human disguise
• मानुषछद्मरूपस्य: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुष + छद्म + रूप (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; समासः—मानुष-छद्म-रूप (मानुषं छद्म यस्य रूपम्)

• शेषस्य: of Śeṣa
• शेषस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• धरणीभृतः: of the earth-bearer
• धरणीभृतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरणी + भृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; समासः—धरणी-भृत् (धरणीं बिभर्ति इति)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Characters & Entities

• Shesha (Ananta)
• Krishna

FAQs

What is the significance of Śeṣa appearing in human guise in the Vishnu Purana?

It shows that the avatāra-līlā includes not only the Lord’s descent but also the participation of His eternal cosmic support (Śeṣa), who conceals divinity to preserve the intimacy of the human setting.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Lord’s companions during Krishna’s forest wanderings?

Parāśara frames the scene as pastoral on the surface—Krishna with the cowherds—while revealing a deeper layer: Śeṣa, the earth-bearer, is present alongside Him under a human disguise.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu/Krishna in this context?

The verse underscores Krishna as the Supreme Lord whose earthly play is supported by cosmic principles and divine attendants, reinforcing Vaishnava teaching that the transcendent sustains and enters the world without losing sovereignty.