Vishnu Purana 5.3.15 — Krishna Avatara, Amsha 5, Adhyaya 3, Shloka 15

श्रीकृष्ण-जन्म, वसुदेव-यमुनातरण, बालिका-उत्क्षेपः, देवी-प्रादुर्भावः

Devanagari script

इत्य् उक्त्वा भगवांस् तूष्णीं बभूव मुनिसत्तम वसुदेवो ऽपि तं रात्राव् आदाय प्रययौ बहिः

Transliteration

ity uktvā bhagavāṃs tūṣṇīṃ babhūva munisattama vasudevo 'pi taṃ rātrāv ādāya prayayau bahiḥ

Translation

இவ்வாறு கூறி பகவான் மௌனமானார், முனிவருள் சிறந்தவரே. வாசுதேவரும் இரவில் அவரைத் தூக்கிக்கொண்டு வெளியே புறப்பட்டார்.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/Adverbial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund); वच्-धातोः; पूर्वक्रिया

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• तूष्णीम्: silently
• तूष्णीम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तूष्णीम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• बभूव: became / remained
• बभूव: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मुनिसत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनिसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन (Vocative); पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (muneḥ sattamaḥ)

• वसुदेवः: Vasudeva
• वसुदेवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative); एकवचन

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/Adverbial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund); आ-उपसर्गपूर्वक; ‘having taken’

• प्रययौ: went forth
• प्रययौ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• बहिः: outside
• बहिः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Kṛṣṇa’s birth and the secret removal from Mathurā to Vraja

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To incarnate in the Yādava line and protect the world by removing Kaṃsa and allied adharma, while delighting devotees through divine līlā.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Protection of the righteous and safeguarding the divine birth that sustains dharma

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavan (Sri Krishna/Vishnu)
• Vasudeva

FAQs

What is the significance of Vasudeva carrying Krishna at night in the Vishnu Purana?

It marks the moment divine providence moves through human action—Vasudeva becomes the instrument of Bhagavan’s protection, enabling Krishna’s mission to restore dharma.

How does Sage Parāśara present Bhagavan’s role in this episode?

Parāśara shows Bhagavan as fully sovereign: after speaking what must be done, He becomes silent, indicating effortless control—events unfold by His will even when He appears as a child.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu (Krishna) in this context?

The verse frames Krishna as Bhagavan—Supreme Lord—whose presence sanctifies the narrative: the Avatar is not merely protected by fate, but directs fate while remaining inwardly transcendent.