Shloka 2

Harivaṁśa-saṅkṣepa: Kṛṣṇa’s Avatāra Deeds, Dynastic Continuity, and Post-departure Succession

Devanagari script

धर्मादिरक्षणार्थाय ह्यधर्मादिविनष्टये / कृष्णः पीत्वा स्तनौ गाढं पूतनामनयत्क्षयम्

Transliteration

dharmādirakṣaṇārthāya hyadharmādivinaṣṭaye / kṛṣṇaḥ pītvā stanau gāḍhaṃ pūtanāmanayatkṣayam

Translation

To protect dharma and to destroy adharma and the like, Kṛṣṇa, having firmly sucked her breasts, brought Pūtanā to her end.

Word by Word

• धर्मादिरक्षणार्थाय: for the purpose of protecting dharma etc.
• धर्मादिरक्षणार्थाय: Sampradana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + आदि + रक्षण + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन), एकवचन; समासः—धर्मादीनां रक्षणस्य अर्थाय (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: emphasis/indeed)

• अधर्मादिविनष्टये: for the destruction of adharma etc.
• अधर्मादिविनष्टये: Sampradana (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर्म + आदि + विनष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—अधर्मादीनां विनष्टये (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• कृष्णः: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पीत्वा: having sucked
• पीत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त), ‘having drunk/sucked’

• स्तनौ: (her) two breasts
• स्तनौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• गाढम्: firmly
• गाढम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गाढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: ‘firmly/intensely’)

• पूतनाम्: Pūtanā
• पूतनाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूतना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अनयत्: brought
• अनयत्: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘led/brought’

• क्षयम्: to destruction
• क्षयम्: Karma (Result/Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; गत्यर्थक-क्रियायाः कर्म (result-goal)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda / Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dharma-saṃrakṣaṇa: the Lord acts to protect righteousness and remove destructive forces; evil disguised as nurture is exposed and ended.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as dharma-goptā; līlā that simultaneously grants liberation to the slain (Putanā) and protection to devotees.

Application: Discern harmful influences masked as care; align strength with protection of the vulnerable; remember the divine as refuge in crises.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: pastoral settlement (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.144 (Kṛṣṇa-māhātmya: early demon-slaying episodes)

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Pūtanā
• Dharma
• Adharma

FAQs

What is the importance of protecting dharma in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames divine action as dharma-rakṣaṇa—when adharma rises, the Lord acts to safeguard righteous order and remove destructive forces.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it teaches that alignment with dharma is protective, while adharma leads to downfall—an ethical foundation that the Garuda Purana later connects to post-death outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Choose actions that uphold dharma (non-harm, truth, duty) and actively abandon adharma; the verse encourages firm resolve against harmful influences.