Shloka 30

The Appearance of Lord Viṣṇu (Kṛṣṇa) and the Divine Exchange with Yoga-māyā

Devanagari script

उपसंहर विश्वात्मन्नदो रूपमलौकिकम् । शङ्खचक्रगदापद्मश्रिया जुष्टं चतुर्भुजम् ॥ ३० ॥

Transliteration

upasaṁhara viśvātmann ado rūpam alaukikam śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-padma- śriyā juṣṭaṁ catur-bhujam

Translation

ഹേ വിശ്വാത്മാവേ, ശംഖം ചക്രം ഗദ പദ്മം ധരിച്ച് ശ്രീയാൽ ശോഭിക്കുന്ന നിങ്ങളുടെ ഈ അതിലൗകിക ചതുര്ഭുജരൂപം ഈ ലോകത്തിന് അസ്വാഭാവികമാണ്. ദയവായി ഈ രൂപം ഉപസംഹരിച്ച് സാധാരണ മനുഷ്യശിശുരൂപമായി മാറണമേ.

Synonyms

• upasaṁhara: withdraw; conceal
• upasaṁhara: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-saṁ-√hṛ (हृ धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; उपसर्गौ ‘उप’ ‘सम्’

• viśva-ātman: O Soul of the universe
• viśva-ātman: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘विश्वस्य आत्मा’

• adaḥ: that
• adaḥ: Karma (कर्म) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (that)

• rūpam: form
• rūpam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• alaukikam: unworldly; extraordinary
• alaukikam: Karma (कर्म) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: alaukika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of rūpam)

• śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-padma-śriyā: with the splendour of conch, discus, mace, and lotus
• śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-padma-śriyā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṅkha (प्रातिपदिक) + cakra (प्रातिपदिक) + gadā (प्रातिपदिक) + padma (प्रातिपदिक) + śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वसमासः (collective dvandva) ‘शङ्खचक्रगदापद्म’ + ‘श्री’ (splendour/beauty)

• juṣṭam: adorned
• juṣṭam: Karma (कर्म) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: juṣṭa (कृदन्त, √juṣ धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle) ‘adorned/attended by’

• catur-bhujam: four-armed
• catur-bhujam: Karma (कर्म) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + bhuja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः ‘चत्वारः भुजाः यस्य’ (four-armed)

Purport

Devakī was thinking of hiding the Supreme Personality of Godhead and not handing Him over to Kaṁsa as she had all her previous children. Although Vasudeva had promised to hand over every child to Kaṁsa, this time he wanted to break his promise and hide the child somewhere. But because of the Lord’s appearance in this surprising four-armed form, He would be impossible to hide.

Characters & Entities

• Devakī
• Vāsudeva
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa (Viṣṇu form)

FAQs

Why did Devaki ask Krishna to withdraw His four-armed Vishnu form?

Devakī feared that Kaṁsa might discover the divine child; she therefore prayed that the Lord conceal His unmistakably divine, four-armed form and appear as a normal infant.

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna’s conch, disc, mace, and lotus?

This verse describes the Lord’s alaukika (transcendental) four-armed form, graced by śaṅkha, cakra, gadā, and padma—classic emblems of His supreme, protective Viṣṇu identity.

How can a devotee apply the message of this shloka in modern life?

See God’s greatness with reverence, yet relate to Him with intimacy: the Lord can reveal majesty or sweetness as needed—so one can pray sincerely for the form of guidance and closeness best suited for one’s situation.