Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 45
Viśvarūpa’s Death, Vṛtrāsura’s Manifestation, and the Devas’ Surrender to Nārāyaṇa
हंसाय दह्रनिलयाय निरीक्षकाय कृष्णाय मृष्टयशसे निरुपक्रमाय । सत्सङ्ग्रहाय भवपान्थनिजाश्रमाप्ता- वन्ते परीष्टगतये हरये नमस्ते ॥ ४५ ॥
haṁsāya dahra-nilayāya nirīkṣakāya kṛṣṇāya mṛṣṭa-yaśase nirupakramāya sat-saṅgrahāya bhava-pāntha-nijāśramāptāv ante parīṣṭa-gataye haraye namas te
礼敬那清净的天鹅之主，居于众生心髓、洞察一切者；礼敬圣克里希纳，名声光明，虽无始却为万有之始。你是圣者的归依处，是轮回旅人最终的安住；众生历经漂泊，得解脱而投靠你莲花足时，便得至高成就。哈利啊，向你顶礼。
The demigods certainly wanted Lord Viṣṇu to relieve their anxiety, but now they directly approach Lord Kṛṣṇa, for although there is no difference between Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa descends to this planet in His Vāsudeva feature for the purpose of paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām — protecting His devotees and annihilating the miscreants. Demons, or atheists, always disturb the demigods, or devotees, and therefore Kṛṣṇa descends to punish the atheists and demons and fulfill the desire of His devotees. Kṛṣṇa, being the original cause of everything, is the Supreme Person, above even Viṣṇu and Nārāyaṇa, although there is no difference between these different forms of the Lord. As explained in Brahma-saṁhitā (5.46) :
FAQs
This verse praises Hari as “nirīkṣaka,” the all-seeing overseer who dwells in the subtle heart-abode, indicating the Supreme Lord’s presence as the inner witness guiding the soul toward Him.
Although appearing as an asura in battle, Vṛtrāsura is a great devotee; he turns to Hari as the spotless, unobstructed Supreme Goal, expressing pure devotion beyond bodily identity.
See life’s struggles as a “bhava-pāntha” (journey through the world) and consciously take shelter of devotion—seeking saintly association and remembering that Hari is the ultimate aim behind every pursuit.