Shloka 23

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

Devanagari script

ते च गोपा महद् दृष्ट्वा पूतनायाः कलेवरम् मृतायाः परमं त्रासं विस्मयं च तदा ययुः

Transliteration

te ca gopā mahad dṛṣṭvā pūtanāyāḥ kalevaram mṛtāyāḥ paramaṃ trāsaṃ vismayaṃ ca tadā yayuḥ

Translation

E os vaqueiros, ao verem o enorme corpo de Pūtanā jazendo morto, foram naquele instante tomados por um terror avassalador e também por assombro.

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• गोपाः: cowherds
• गोपाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• महत्: great, huge
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (कलेवरम् इति)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• पूतनायाः: of Pūtanā
• पूतनायाः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूतना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), एकवचन

• कलेवरम्: body, corpse
• कलेवरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलेवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन

• मृतायाः: dead
• मृतायाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) (dead)

• परमम्: extreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (त्रासम् इति)

• त्रासम्: fear, terror
• त्रासम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन

• विस्मयम्: astonishment
• विस्मयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• ययुः: they went/experienced
• ययुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Consequences of demonic attacks in Kṛṣṇa’s infancy, beginning with Pūtanā, and the community’s reaction.

Teaching: Historical

Quality: vivid, awe-inducing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He descends as Kṛṣṇa to protect Vraja by destroying demoness Pūtanā and to reveal His divinity through bālya-līlā that grants even enemies a salvific end.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Protection of infants and the Vraja community; removal of rākṣasī threat and restoration of safety.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord’s protection can appear as sudden, overwhelming reversal—turning mortal threat into astonishment and safety for the devoted community.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: In crises, anchor attention in the Lord’s names and community support (satsaṅga), interpreting reversals as occasions for deepened trust rather than panic.

Vishishtadvaita: Divine grace operates within history: the personal Lord intervenes concretely to protect His dependents (śaraṇāgati), not merely as an abstract principle.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Pūtanā
• Gopas (cowherds of Vraja/Gokula)

FAQs

What is the significance of the cowherds’ fear and astonishment in the Vishnu Purana?

Their terror and wonder highlight the sudden revelation of the divine: an apparent infant’s safety contrasts with the demoness’s colossal dead body, underscoring Bhagavān’s protective supremacy.

How does Sage Parāśara frame this event within the dialogue with Maitreya?

Parāśara narrates it as a concrete līlā in Kṛṣṇa’s childhood, showing how the Lord safeguards devotees and overturns adharma—an experiential teaching rather than abstract doctrine.

What is the theological importance of Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa in this context?

Kṛṣṇa’s effortless triumph over Pūtanā signals Viṣṇu’s absolute sovereignty: the Supreme Reality protects the vulnerable and renders hostile forces powerless, reinforcing a bhakti-centered vision of divine grace.