Shloka 76

देवकी-विवाहः, आकाशवाणी, भूरभारावतरण-याचना, क्षीराब्धि-स्तुति, केशावतार-नियोजनम्

Devanagari script

गर्भसंकर्षणात् सो ऽथ लोके संकर्षणेति वै संज्ञाम् अवाप्स्यते वीरः श्वेताद्रिशिखरोपमः

Transliteration

garbhasaṃkarṣaṇāt so 'tha loke saṃkarṣaṇeti vai saṃjñām avāpsyate vīraḥ śvetādriśikharopamaḥ

Translation

ഗർഭത്തെ ആകർഷിച്ചു സമാഹരിക്കുന്നതിനാൽ ആ വീരൻ ലോകത്തിൽ നിശ്ചയമായി ‘സങ്കർഷണ’ എന്ന നാമം പ്രാപിക്കും; ശ്വേതപർവ്വതശിഖരത്തെപ്പോലെ ദീപ്തൻ।

Word by Word

• गर्भसंकर्षणात्: from the drawing out of the embryo
• गर्भसंकर्षणात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/हेतु-अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + संकर्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान/हेतु), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गर्भस्य संकर्षणम्)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/अनुक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/अनन्तरार्थक (then/thereupon)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (locative)

• संकर्षण: Saṃkarṣaṇa
• संकर्षण: Predicate nominative (संज्ञा/नाम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकर्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; इति-शब्देन नामरूपेण निर्दिष्टम्

• इति: thus
• इति: Quotative marker (इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक (quotative)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Emphasis particle (निश्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक/खलु-अर्थे (indeed)

• संज्ञाम्: the name
• संज्ञाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (object)

• अवाप्स्यते: will obtain
• अवाप्स्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (भविष्यत्काल), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• वीरः: the hero
• वीरः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेष्य (सः)

• श्वेताद्रिशिखरोपमः: like the peak of the white mountain
• श्वेताद्रिशिखरोपमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्वेत (प्रातिपदिक) + अद्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + शिखर (प्रातिपदिक) + उपम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः (श्वेत-अद्रि-शिखर-उपमः) उपमान-तत्पुरुषः; 'श्वेताद्रिशिखरस्य उपमः'

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Saṃkarṣaṇa is identified by the function of ‘drawing together’ (saṃ-karṣaṇa) the embryo/seed of manifest existence, implying a divine causal role in ordered manifestation.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Contemplate the ordered power behind life’s emergence and cultivate reverence for the sustaining intelligence that gathers scattered energies into coherence.

Vishishtadvaita: The Vyuha Saṃkarṣaṇa is a personal, functional mode of the Supreme who remains transcendent while operating as causal and organizing power within the cosmos.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Vyuha Form: Sankarshana

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Saṃkarṣaṇa
• Balarāma (implied identification in later tradition)

FAQs

What is the significance of the name Saṃkarṣaṇa in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse links the name “Saṃkarṣaṇa” to the act of drawing together or bringing forth the ‘garbha’—the germ/embryo of existence—highlighting a cosmic function embedded in the divine name.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine names and functions here?

Parāśara presents the name as arising from function: the deity is called Saṃkarṣaṇa because of the act of saṃkarṣaṇa (attraction/bringing forth), showing that epithets encode metaphysical roles in creation and order.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu in this context?

Even when a specific manifestation is named, the Purāṇic frame treats such powers as expressions of the Supreme Reality governing cosmic emergence—Vishnu as the ultimate sovereign principle behind ordered existence.