Shloka 413
अध्याय १९० — वामदेव-वाम्य-वृत्तान्तः
The Vāmadeva Horses Episode and the Ethics of Promise
अशिशु: शिशुरूपेण यावदब्रह्मा न बुध्यते । ब्रह्मर्ष! मैं शंख, चक्र और गदा धारण करनेवाला विश्वात्मा नारायण हूँ, सहस्र युगके अन्तमें जो प्रलय होता है वह जबतक रहता है, तबतक सब प्राणियोंको (महानिद्रारूप मायासे) मोहित करके मैं (जलमें) शयन करता हूँ। मुनिश्रेष्ठ! यद्यपि मैं बालक नहीं हूँ, तो भी जबतक ब्रह्मा नहीं जागते, तबतक सदा इसी प्रकार बालकरूप धारण करके यहाँ रहता हूँ
aśiśuḥ śiśurūpeṇa yāvad brahmā na budhyate | brahmarṣe! ahaṃ śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-dhāraṇavān viśvātmā nārāyaṇaḥ | sahasra-yugasyānte yaḥ pralayo bhavati sa yāvat tiṣṭhati tāvat sarva-prāṇinaḥ (mahānidrārūpayā māyayā) mohayitvā aham (jale) śayanaṃ karomi | muniśreṣṭha! yadyapi ahaṃ bālako na asmi tathāpi yāvad brahmā na jāgarti tāvat sadā evam eva bālarūpaṃ dhṛtvā atra tiṣṭhāmi ||
Wika ng Diyos: “Bagaman hindi ako tunay na sanggol, nananatili ako rito sa anyo ng isang sanggol hanggang sa magising si Brahmā. O brahmarṣi, ako si Nārāyaṇa, ang Sarili ng sansinukob, na may tangan na kabibe, diskos, at pamalo. Kapag tumatagal ang pagkalusaw na dumarating sa wakas ng isang libong yuga, nilulunod ko sa pagkalito ang lahat ng nilalang sa kapangyarihan ng Māyā na gaya ng dakilang pagkatulog, at ako’y nahihimlay sa ibabaw ng mga tubig. O pinakadakila sa mga pantas, bagaman hindi ako sanggol, hangga’t hindi pa bumabangon si Brahmā, nananatili akong ganito magpakailanman, taglay ang anyo ng sanggol.”
देव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage presents Nārāyaṇa as the cosmic ground of being who remains unchanged in essence yet assumes forms for cosmic purposes. During pralaya he withdraws the worlds into a sleep-like state through Māyā and rests upon the waters; the ‘child-form’ underscores divine play and the mystery that the supreme can appear small while sustaining the universe.
A deity identifies himself to a great sage as Nārāyaṇa, bearer of conch, discus, and mace. He explains that at the end of a thousand-yuga cycle, during cosmic dissolution, he causes beings to fall into great sleep and lies on the waters, remaining in an infant-like form until Brahmā awakens and creation resumes.