Shloka 45
Viśvarūpa’s Death, Vṛtrāsura’s Manifestation, and the Devas’ Surrender to Nārāyaṇa
हंसाय दह्रनिलयाय निरीक्षकाय कृष्णाय मृष्टयशसे निरुपक्रमाय । सत्सङ्ग्रहाय भवपान्थनिजाश्रमाप्ता- वन्ते परीष्टगतये हरये नमस्ते ॥ ४५ ॥
haṁsāya dahra-nilayāya nirīkṣakāya kṛṣṇāya mṛṣṭa-yaśase nirupakramāya sat-saṅgrahāya bhava-pāntha-nijāśramāptāv ante parīṣṭa-gataye haraye namas te
Wahai Hamsa yang suci, yang bersemayam di relung hati dan menyaksikan segala kehendak! Wahai Kṛṣṇa, dengan kemasyhuran yang murni dan bercahaya, tanpa permulaan namun asal segala permulaan! Engkau tempat berhimpun para sādhū; jiwa yang mengembara di jalan saṁsāra lalu berlindung pada kaki teratai-Mu mencapai kejayaan tertinggi. Wahai Hari, kami bersujud kepada-Mu.
The demigods certainly wanted Lord Viṣṇu to relieve their anxiety, but now they directly approach Lord Kṛṣṇa, for although there is no difference between Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa descends to this planet in His Vāsudeva feature for the purpose of paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām — protecting His devotees and annihilating the miscreants. Demons, or atheists, always disturb the demigods, or devotees, and therefore Kṛṣṇa descends to punish the atheists and demons and fulfill the desire of His devotees. Kṛṣṇa, being the original cause of everything, is the Supreme Person, above even Viṣṇu and Nārāyaṇa, although there is no difference between these different forms of the Lord. As explained in Brahma-saṁhitā (5.46) :
FAQs
This verse praises Hari as “nirīkṣaka,” the all-seeing overseer who dwells in the subtle heart-abode, indicating the Supreme Lord’s presence as the inner witness guiding the soul toward Him.
Although appearing as an asura in battle, Vṛtrāsura is a great devotee; he turns to Hari as the spotless, unobstructed Supreme Goal, expressing pure devotion beyond bodily identity.
See life’s struggles as a “bhava-pāntha” (journey through the world) and consciously take shelter of devotion—seeking saintly association and remembering that Hari is the ultimate aim behind every pursuit.