Shloka 12

Vasudeva Meets Nanda; Pūtanā’s Fall; Viṣṇu-Rakṣā (Protective Hymn) in Gokula

Devanagari script

आदाय कृष्णं संत्रस्ता यशोदापि द्विजोत्तम गोपुच्छं भ्राम्य हस्तेन बालदोषम् अपाकरोत्

Transliteration

ādāya kṛṣṇaṃ saṃtrastā yaśodāpi dvijottama gopucchaṃ bhrāmya hastena bāladoṣam apākarot

Translation

Ó melhor entre os duas-vezes-nascidos! Alarmada, Yaśodā tomou o pequeno Kṛṣṇa e, fazendo girar na mão a cauda de uma vaca, procurou afastar dele o suposto mal infantil (influência nefasta).

Word by Word

• आदाय: having taken up
• आदाय: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-दा (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-समकक्ष)
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया

• कृष्णम्: Krishna
• कृष्णम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• संत्रस्ता: frightened
• संत्रस्ता: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-त्रस् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् यशोदा प्रति

• यशोदा: Yaśodā
• यशोदा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यशोदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थ (also/even)

• द्विजोत्तम: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजोत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (द्विजानाम् उत्तमः/best of the twice-born); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• गोपुच्छम्: a cow’s tail
• गोपुच्छम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + पुच्छ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (गोः पुच्छम्/cow’s tail); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भ्राम्य: whirling, moving around
• भ्राम्य: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु) + ल्यप्
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्यय (Gerund), सहक्रिया/पूर्वक्रिया

• हस्तेन: with (her) hand
• हस्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बालदोषम्: the child’s affliction/evil influence
• बालदोषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक) + दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (बालस्य दोषः/evil affecting the child); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपाकरोत्: removed, dispelled
• अपाकरोत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप-आ-√कृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: compassionate

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To enact bāla-līlā wherein devotees express protective love, deepening vatsalya-bhakti while the Lord remains the true protector.

Leela: Bala

Dharma Restored: Household dharma and protective rites (rakṣā) performed in devotion and anxiety for the child.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Vatsalya-bhakti sanctifies ordinary acts: Yaśodā’s simple protective rite becomes devotion directed to the Lord veiled as a child.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Offer everyday caregiving and family duties as worship (ārpaṇa-buddhi), transforming anxiety into prayerful protection.

Vishishtadvaita: The transcendent Lord accepts intimate relational devotion (śeṣa-śeṣi-bhāva): the Infinite allows himself to be ‘protected’ by devotees without losing supremacy.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Yashoda

FAQs

What is the significance of Yaśodā using a cow’s tail in the Vishnu Purana?

It reflects a traditional Vraja-style protective rite meant to avert the ‘bāla-doṣa’ (evil influence on a child), showing Yaśodā’s maternal concern within Krishna’s līlā.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the human-like vulnerability of Krishna here?

Parāśara narrates that devotees treat Krishna as a child and perform ordinary protections; the Purana presents this as līlā—Vishnu’s supreme nature remains, yet he accepts intimate, human relationships.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when approached as a vulnerable child, Krishna is Vishnu’s supreme manifestation; the episode highlights bhakti—especially vātsalya—where divine majesty is veiled by loving intimacy.