Shloka 17

Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi and the Lord’s Unlimited Incarnations

Devanagari script

हंसस्वरूप्यवददच्युत आत्मयोगं दत्त: कुमार ऋषभो भगवान् पिता न: । विष्णु: शिवाय जगतां कलयावतीर्ण- स्तेनाहृता मधुभिदा श्रुतयोहयास्ये ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

haṁsa-svarūpy avadad acyuta ātma-yogaṁ dattaḥ kumāra ṛṣabho bhagavān pitā naḥ viṣṇuḥ śivāya jagatāṁ kalayāvatīrṇas tenāhṛtā madhu-bhidā śrutayo hayāsye

Translation

พระวิษณุผู้ไม่เคยพลาด (อจฺยุตะ) เสด็จลงมาเพื่อเกื้อกูลสรรพโลกด้วยอวตารส่วนย่อยต่าง ๆ เช่น พระหงส์ (หํส), ทัตตาตเรยะ, กุมารทั้งสี่ และพระฤษภเทวะผู้เป็นบิดาของเรา เพื่อสอนวิชาอาตมโยคะแห่งการรู้ตน และเมื่อทรงปรากฏเป็นหัยครีวะ ก็ทรงสังหารมธุและนำพระเวทกลับมาจากปาตาลโลก

Synonyms

• हंसस्वरूपी: having the form of a swan
• हंसस्वरूपी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हंस-स्वरूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (हंसस्य स्वरूपम् यस्य)

• अवदत्: spoke
• अवदत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अच्युत: O Acyuta
• अच्युत: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• आत्मयोगम्: self-yoga / spiritual discipline
• आत्मयोगम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्म-योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (आत्मनः योगः)

• दत्तः: Datta
• दत्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम (sage Datta/Dattātreya)

• कुमारः: Kumāra
• कुमारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ऋषभः: Ṛṣabha
• ऋषभः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• पिता: father
• पिता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नः: of us / our
• नः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शिवाय: for welfare / for auspiciousness
• शिवाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजन (for auspiciousness)

• जगताम्: of the worlds
• जगताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कलया: by a portion (partial expansion)
• कलया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• अवतीर्णः: descended
• अवतीर्णः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव-तॄ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आहृताः: were brought back
• आहृताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-हृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘श्रुतयः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• मधुभिदा: by the slayer of Madhu
• मधुभिदा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु-भिद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मधोः भेत्ता)

• श्रुतयः: the Vedas / revelations
• श्रुतयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• हयास्ये: in/at the Horse-faced (Hayagrīva) [demon]
• हयास्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय-आस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (हयः आस्यं यस्य = ‘horse-faced’), ‘(हयग्रीवे)’ अर्थे

Purport

It is stated in the Skanda Purāṇa that the Lord of the universe, Hari Himself, once appeared in the form of a young brahmacārī named Kumāra and spoke transcendental knowledge to Sanat-kumāra.

Characters & Entities

• Acyuta (Lord Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa)
• Haṁsa (Haṁsa-avatāra)
• Dattātreya
• Sanat-kumāra (Kumāras)
• Ṛṣabha
• Madhusūdana
• Hayagrīva

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Hayagriva and the recovery of the Vedas?

This verse states that Madhusūdana (the Lord) restored the stolen śrutis (Vedas) by appearing in His Hayagrīva (horse-faced) form, protecting revealed knowledge for the world.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī mention Haṁsa, Dattātreya, the Kumāras, and Ṛṣabha together?

He is listing the Lord’s compassionate descents that teach ātma-yoga and spiritual wisdom—different avatāras and empowered forms through whom the same Supreme Lord guides the world toward liberation.

Practical application of ātma-yoga from this shloka in modern life?

Treat spiritual practice as learning the ‘science of the Self’: study authentic śāstra, cultivate detachment and inner discipline, and rely on the Lord’s guidance—seeing Him as the source and protector of true knowledge.