Shloka 21

Kālayavana’s Rise, Dvārakā’s Founding, and Muchukunda’s Awakening (Śaraṇāgati & Brahman-Stuti)

Devanagari script

स हि देवासुरे युद्धे गतो जित्वा महासुरान् निद्रार्तः सुमहत् कालं निद्रां वव्रे वरं सुरान्

Transliteration

sa hi devāsure yuddhe gato jitvā mahāsurān nidrārtaḥ sumahat kālaṃ nidrāṃ vavre varaṃ surān

Translation

तो देव-आसुर युद्धात गेला आणि महासुरांना जिंकून, निद्राने व्याकुळ होऊन, देवांकडून वर म्हणून अतिदीर्घ काळाची निद्रा मागून घेतली।

Word by Word

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

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• देवासुरे: in the deva-and-asura (war)
• देवासुरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (as adjective to युद्ध), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (देवाश्च असुराश्च)

• युद्धे: in the battle
• युद्धे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• गतः: having gone
• गतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘gone/having gone’

• जित्वा: having defeated
• जित्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having conquered’

• महासुरान्: the great asuras
• महासुरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (महान्तः असुराः)

• निद्रार्तः: afflicted with sleep
• निद्रार्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निद्रा (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (निद्रया आर्तः) ‘afflicted by sleep’

• सुमहत्: very great
• सुमहत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (intensified: very great)

• कालम्: a time (period)
• कालम्: Karma (Extent of time/कालावधि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• निद्राम्: sleep
• निद्राम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वव्रे: chose (as a boon)
• वव्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘chose/asked for’

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सुरान्: the gods
• सुरान्: Sampradana (Recipient/Source addressed/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: After fulfilling arduous duty in cosmic conflict, even a great king may rightly seek restorative withdrawal; boons follow sustained service and sacrifice.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Perform responsibilities with steadiness, then practice intentional rest and retreat to prevent burnout and preserve clarity for future dharma.

Vishishtadvaita: Worldly duty (kṣātra-karma) is meaningful within the Lord’s order; embodied beings legitimately require rest, affirming a real, purposive cosmos.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Asuras

FAQs

What is the significance of “divine sleep” (nidrā/yoga-nidrā) in the Vishnu Purana?

In this verse, sleep is framed as a chosen boon after victory—suggesting purposeful divine repose that supports cosmic rhythm and order, not ordinary helplessness.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the aftermath of the Deva–Asura conflict here?

Parāśara presents a sequence: the hero goes to war, conquers the great Asuras, and then receives a boon—sleep for a long duration—marking a transition from conflict to cosmic stabilization.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu’s sovereignty in this context?

Even when described in human-like terms (weariness), the narrative emphasizes agency: the Lord ‘chooses’ the boon, underscoring supreme control over action and rest—key to Vaishnava views of the Lord as ruler of cosmic order.