Shloka 9

The Appearance of Lord Viṣṇu (Kṛṣṇa) and the Divine Exchange with Yoga-māyā

Devanagari script

तमद्भ‍ुतं बालकमम्बुजेक्षणं चतुर्भुजं शङ्खगदाद्युदायुधम् । श्रीवत्सलक्ष्मं गलशोभिकौस्तुभं पीताम्बरं सान्द्रपयोदसौभगम् ॥ ९ ॥ महार्हवैदूर्यकिरीटकुण्डल- त्विषा परिष्वक्तसहस्रकुन्तलम् । उद्दामकाञ्‍च्यङ्गदकङ्कणादिभि- र्विरोचमानं वसुदेव ऐक्षत ॥ १० ॥

Transliteration

tam adbhutaṁ bālakam ambujekṣaṇaṁ catur-bhujaṁ śaṅkha-gadādy-udāyudham śrīvatsa-lakṣmaṁ gala-śobhi-kaustubhaṁ pītāmbaraṁ sāndra-payoda-saubhagam

Translation

วสุเทวะได้เห็นทารกแรกเกิดอันน่าอัศจรรย์นั้น—มีดวงเนตรดุจดอกบัว มีสี่กร ถือสังข์ จักร คทา และปัทมะ ที่พระอุระมีเครื่องหมายศรีวัตสะ ที่พระศอมีแก้วเกาสตุภะส่องประกาย ทรงนุ่งห่มพีตัมพร และมีพระวรกายสีเข้มงามดุจเมฆหนาทึบ

Synonyms

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन (singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• adbhutam: wonderful
• adbhutam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adbhuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन (singular)

• bālakam: the child
• bālakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bālaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन (singular)

• ambuja-īkṣaṇam: lotus-eyed
• ambuja-īkṣaṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ambuja (प्रातिपदिक) + īkṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अम्बुजस्य इक्षणे यस्य = lotus-eyed)

• catuḥ-bhujam: four-armed
• catuḥ-bhujam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur (प्रातिपदिक) + bhuja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन (singular); द्विगुसमासः (चत्वारः भुजाः यस्य)

• śaṅkha-gadā-ādi-udāyudham: bearing weapons like conch and mace
• śaṅkha-gadā-ādi-udāyudham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaṅkha (प्रातिपदिक) + gadā (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + udāyudha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुषः (शङ्खगदादयः उदायुधानि यस्य = having raised/held weapons such as conch and mace)

• śrīvatsa-lakṣmam: bearing the Śrīvatsa mark
• śrīvatsa-lakṣmam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śrīvatsa (प्रातिपदिक) + lakṣma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (श्रीवत्सस्य लक्ष्म यस्य = marked with Śrīvatsa)

• gala-śobhi-kaustubham: with the Kaustubha gem shining on the neck
• gala-śobhi-kaustubham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gala (प्रातिपदिक) + śobhin (प्रातिपदिक) + kaustubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुषः (गलस्य शोभि कौस्तुभः यस्य/येन = with Kaustubha adorning the neck)

• pīta-ambaram: clad in yellow cloth
• pīta-ambaram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pīta (प्रातिपदिक) + ambara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन (singular); कर्मधारयः (पीतम् अम्बरम् यस्य = wearing yellow garments)

• sāndra-payoda-saubhagam: having the splendor of a dense raincloud
• sāndra-payoda-saubhagam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sāndra (प्रातिपदिक) + payoda (प्रातिपदिक) + saubhaga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुषः (सान्द्रपयोदवत् सौभगं यस्य = having beauty like a dense raincloud)

Purport

To support the word adbhutam, meaning “wonderful,” the decorations and opulences of the newborn child are fully described. As confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.30) , barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam: the hue of the Lord’s beautiful form resembles the blackish color of dense clouds ( asita means “blackish,” and ambuda means “cloud”). It is clear from the word catur-bhujam that Kṛṣṇa first appeared with four hands, as Lord Viṣṇu. No ordinary child in human society has ever been born with four hands. And when is a child born with fully grown hair? The descent of the Lord, therefore, is completely distinct from the birth of an ordinary child. The Vaidūrya gem, which sometimes appears bluish, sometimes yellow and sometimes red, is available in Vaikuṇṭhaloka. The Lord’s helmet and earrings were decorated with this particular gem.

Characters & Entities

• Vasudeva
• Lord Viṣṇu (four-armed form of the Supreme Lord appearing as Kṛṣṇa)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about the form of baby Krishna at birth?

In this verse, Śukadeva describes the newborn as a wondrous lotus-eyed infant in a four-armed Viṣṇu form, holding the conch and mace, marked with Śrīvatsa and adorned with the Kaustubha jewel and yellow garments.

Why did Vasudeva see Krishna as four-armed Viṣṇu?

Because the Supreme Lord initially manifested His divine Viṣṇu form to reveal His Godhood to Vasudeva (and Devakī) before later appearing as a two-armed child for intimate parental love (vātsalya-bhakti).

Practical application of this shloka in modern life?

Regularly hearing and remembering the Lord’s divine qualities and beauty (śravaṇa and smaraṇa) strengthens faith, steadies the mind, and nurtures devotion even amid fear and uncertainty.