Shloka 28

Varṣa-devatā Worship in Jambūdvīpa: Hayagrīva/Hayaśīrṣa, Nṛsiṁha, Kāmadeva (Pradyumna), Matsya, Kūrma, and Varāha

Devanagari script

भवान् युगान्तार्णव ऊर्मिमालिनि क्षोणीमिमामोषधिवीरुधां निधिम् । मया सहोरु क्रमतेऽज ओजसा तस्मै जगत्प्राणगणात्मने नम इति ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

bhavān yugāntārṇava ūrmi-mālini kṣoṇīm imām oṣadhi-vīrudhāṁ nidhim mayā sahoru kramate ’ja ojasā tasmai jagat-prāṇa-gaṇātmane nama iti

Translation

హే సర్వశక్తిమాన్ ప్రభూ! యుగాంతంలో ఔషధి‑లతలు, వృక్షాల నిధియైన ఈ భూమి ప్రళయజలపు భయంకర తరంగాలలో మునిగిపోయింది. అప్పుడు మీరు నన్ను సహ భూమిని రక్షించి మహావేగంతో సముద్రంలో సంచరించారు. హే అజా! మీరు జగత్తు ప్రాణగణాలకు ఆధారమూ పోషకుడూ; మీకు నమస్కారం।

Synonyms

• bhavān: you (honored one)
• bhavān: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; आदरार्थे सर्वनाम-प्रयोगः (honorific pronoun)

• yuga-anta-arṇave: in the ocean at the end of the age
• yuga-anta-arṇave: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuga (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक) + arṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; युगान्तस्य अर्णवः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• ūrmi-mālini: (that ocean) having garlands of waves
• ūrmi-mālini: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ūrmi (प्रातिपदिक) + mālin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ऊर्मि-माला यस्यां सा (waves-garlanded)

• kṣoṇīm: the earth
• kṣoṇīm: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣoṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• imām: this
• imām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• oṣadhi-vīrudhām: of herbs and creepers
• oṣadhi-vīrudhām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: oṣadhi (प्रातिपदिक) + vīrudh (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (plants and creepers)

• nidhim: treasure, repository
• nidhim: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्षोणीम् इमाम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषण-रूपेण (apposition)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Sahakārī/Karaṇa (सहकारी/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• saha: together with
• saha: Sahārtha (सहार्थ/Accompaniment)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सह (with) — तृतीया-सहयोगे प्रयुज्यते

• uru: vastly, greatly
• uru: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्रमते इत्यस्य कर्म-विशेषणम् (as adverbial accusative: greatly)

• kramate: steps, strides
• kramate: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kram (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• ajaḥ: the unborn one
• ajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेष्यः (the unborn Lord)

• ojasā: by strength, with vigor
• ojasā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ojas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• tasmai: to him
• tasmai: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• jagat-prāṇa-gaṇa-ātmane: to the Self of the world’s hosts of life-breaths
• jagat-prāṇa-gaṇa-ātmane: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक) + prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; जगतः प्राणगणस्य आत्मा इति बहु-षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समासः

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Prayojana (सम्बोधन/Salutation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोगः (indeclinable interjection)

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyānta-sūcaka (वाक्यान्त-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति (quotative particle)

Purport

Envious persons cannot appreciate how wonderfully the Lord creates, maintains and annihilates the universe, but devotees of the Lord can understand this perfectly well. Devotees can see how the Lord is acting behind the wonderful workings of the material nature. In Bhagavad-gītā (9.10) the Lord says:

Characters & Entities

• Urukrama (Vamana/Trivikrama)
• The Earth (Bhumi)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Lord’s protection during pralaya (cosmic dissolution)?

This verse praises the Lord as the mighty sustainer who, even when the devastating ocean rises at the end of time, preserves the earth and remains the life-force and inner Self of all beings.

Why is the Lord addressed as Urukrama (the mighty-striding one) in this verse?

Urukrama refers to Vāmana/Trivikrama, whose vast strides symbolize the Lord’s supreme power and universal sovereignty—here invoked to show He can uphold the earth even amid dissolution.

How can this teaching be applied in modern life?

Remembering the Lord as the indwelling life and protector cultivates steadiness during personal “floods” (crises), encouraging surrender, gratitude, and devotional resilience.