Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvitiya Skandha, Shloka 28

Bhagavān’s Avatāras, Their Protections (Poṣaṇa), and the Limits of Knowing Him

Devanagari script

यद् वै व्रजे व्रजपशून् विषतोयपीतान् पालांस्त्वजीवयदनुग्रहद‍ृष्टिवृष्टय‍ा । तच्छुद्धयेऽतिविषवीर्यविलोलजिह्व- मुच्चाटयिष्यदुरगं विहरन् ह्रदिन्याम् ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

yad vai vraje vraja-paśūn viṣatoya-pītān pālāṁs tv ajīvayad anugraha-dṛṣṭi-vṛṣṭyā tac-chuddhaye ’ti-viṣa-vīrya-vilola-jihvam uccāṭayiṣyad uragaṁ viharan hradinyām

Translation

Em Vraja, quando os meninos pastores e seus animais beberam a água envenenada do Yamunā e caíram inertes, o Senhor, mesmo em Sua infância, os reviveu com uma chuva de olhares misericordiosos. Depois, para purificar o Yamunā, saltou em suas águas como se brincasse e castigou a serpente Kāliya, cuja língua ondulante expelia ondas de veneno. Quem, senão o Senhor Supremo, pode realizar tais feitos hercúleos?

Synonyms

• yat: which
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; relative pronoun referring to the deed

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• vraje: in Vraja
• vraje: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vraja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• vraja-paśūn: the cattle of Vraja
• vraja-paśūn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vraja (प्रातिपदिक) + paśu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; tatpuruṣa: vrajasya paśūn

• viṣa-toya-pītān: who had drunk poisoned water
• viṣa-toya-pītān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + toya (प्रातिपदिक) + pīta (कृदन्त, √pā)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; qualifying paśūn/pālān; 'having drunk poisoned water'

• pālān: the herdsmen/keepers
• pālān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• ajīvayat: revived
• ajīvayat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jīv (धातु) with ā- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: Luṅ (Aorist/लुङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथम-पुरुष), Singular; causative sense: 'made live'

• anugraha-dṛṣṭi-vṛṣṭyā: by a rain of merciful glance
• anugraha-dṛṣṭi-vṛṣṭyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anugraha (प्रातिपदिक) + dṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; 'by the shower of gracious glance'

• tat-śuddhaye: for its purification
• tat-śuddhaye: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + śuddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; purpose: 'for its purification'

• ati-viṣa-vīrya-vilola-jihvam: with tongue flickering from the power of deadly poison
• ati-viṣa-vīrya-vilola-jihvam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati (अव्यय) + viṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + vīrya (प्रातिपदिक) + vilola (प्रातिपदिक) + jihvā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifying uragam; 'whose tongue is restless due to the power of intense poison'

• uccāṭayiṣyat: will expel/remove
• uccāṭayiṣyat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: uccāṭ (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ (Simple Future/लुट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथम-पुरुष), Singular; causative/denominative sense: 'will drive out/remove'

• uragam: the serpent
• uragam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uraga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• viharan: sporting/moving about
• viharan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vihar (धातु)
• Form: Śatṛ (Present active participle/शतृ), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Masculine, Singular; agreeing with the subject (he)

• hradinyām: in the river/stream
• hradinyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hradinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Vraja-gopāla (cowherd men)
• Vraja-paśu (cows and other animals)
• Kāliya (the serpent)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna saving Vraja from poisoned water?

This verse recalls that Kṛṣṇa restored the cowherd men and animals to life simply by His merciful glance after they drank poisoned water, showing His supreme protection over His devotees.

Why did Shukadeva Goswami describe the Kaliya serpent incident to King Parikshit?

Śukadeva is enumerating the Lord’s divine incarnations and deeds; the Kāliya episode illustrates Kṛṣṇa’s compassion, His power over deadly evil, and His purpose of purifying the world for His devotees.

What is the practical application of Krishna’s “merciful glance” in modern life?

The verse encourages faith that sincere devotion draws divine protection and purification—reminding practitioners to seek refuge in Kṛṣṇa through remembrance, prayer, and steady bhakti during crises.