Shloka 413
अध्याय १९० — वामदेव-वाम्य-वृत्तान्तः
The Vāmadeva Horses Episode and the Ethics of Promise
अशिशु: शिशुरूपेण यावदब्रह्मा न बुध्यते । ब्रह्मर्ष! मैं शंख, चक्र और गदा धारण करनेवाला विश्वात्मा नारायण हूँ, सहस्र युगके अन्तमें जो प्रलय होता है वह जबतक रहता है, तबतक सब प्राणियोंको (महानिद्रारूप मायासे) मोहित करके मैं (जलमें) शयन करता हूँ। मुनिश्रेष्ठ! यद्यपि मैं बालक नहीं हूँ, तो भी जबतक ब्रह्मा नहीं जागते, तबतक सदा इसी प्रकार बालकरूप धारण करके यहाँ रहता हूँ
aśiśuḥ śiśurūpeṇa yāvad brahmā na budhyate | brahmarṣe! ahaṃ śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-dhāraṇavān viśvātmā nārāyaṇaḥ | sahasra-yugasyānte yaḥ pralayo bhavati sa yāvat tiṣṭhati tāvat sarva-prāṇinaḥ (mahānidrārūpayā māyayā) mohayitvā aham (jale) śayanaṃ karomi | muniśreṣṭha! yadyapi ahaṃ bālako na asmi tathāpi yāvad brahmā na jāgarti tāvat sadā evam eva bālarūpaṃ dhṛtvā atra tiṣṭhāmi ||
A Divindade disse: “Embora eu não seja de fato uma criança, permaneço aqui na forma de um infante até que Brahmā desperte. Ó brahmarṣi, eu sou Nārāyaṇa, o Si universal, portando concha, disco e maça. Enquanto perdura a dissolução que sobrevém ao fim de mil yugas, eu iludo todos os seres pelo poder de Māyā, semelhante ao grande sono, e repouso deitado sobre as águas. Ó melhor dos sábios, ainda que eu não seja uma criança, enquanto Brahmā não se erguer, permaneço aqui perpetuamente deste mesmo modo, assumindo a forma de uma criança.”
देव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage presents Nārāyaṇa as the cosmic ground of being who remains unchanged in essence yet assumes forms for cosmic purposes. During pralaya he withdraws the worlds into a sleep-like state through Māyā and rests upon the waters; the ‘child-form’ underscores divine play and the mystery that the supreme can appear small while sustaining the universe.
A deity identifies himself to a great sage as Nārāyaṇa, bearer of conch, discus, and mace. He explains that at the end of a thousand-yuga cycle, during cosmic dissolution, he causes beings to fall into great sleep and lies on the waters, remaining in an infant-like form until Brahmā awakens and creation resumes.