Shloka 9

भरतचरितम्—मृगासक्ति-हेतुकः समाधिभङ्गः, जातिस्मरत्वं, रहूगण-जाḍभरत-संवादः

Devanagari script

यज्ञेशाच्युत गोविन्द माधवानन्त केशव कृष्ण विष्णो हृषीकेशेत्य् आह राजा स केवलम्

Transliteration

yajñeśācyuta govinda mādhavānanta keśava kṛṣṇa viṣṇo hṛṣīkeśety āha rājā sa kevalam

Translation

That king spoke only this, calling upon the Lord by His sovereign names: “Yajñeśa, Acyuta, Govinda, Mādhava, Ananta, Keśava, Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu, Hṛṣīkeśa.”

Word by Word

• यज्ञेश: O Lord of sacrifice
• यज्ञेश: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; समासः—यज्ञस्य ईशः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• अच्युत: O Acyuta
• अच्युत: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• गोविन्द: O Govinda
• गोविन्द: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• माधव: O Mādhava
• माधव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• अनन्त: O Ananta
• अनन्त: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• केशव: O Keśava
• केशव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• कृष्ण: O Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्ण: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• विष्णो: O Viṣṇu
• विष्णो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (विष्णो इति सम्बोधन-एकवचन)

• हृषीकेश: O Hṛṣīkeśa
• हृषीकेश: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृषीक (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; समासः—हृषीकाणाम् ईशः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• आह: said
• आह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/आह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• केवलम्: only/solely
• केवलम्: Adhikarana (Adverbial/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः (adverbial accusative: only/merely)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya; the verse reports the king’s utterance)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing, devotional

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Exclusive repetition of Bhagavān’s names (yajñeśa, acyuta, govinda, etc.) is presented as the king’s entire speech—an emblem of ekāgratā and nāma-bhakti.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Adopt a daily nāma-japa practice (one mālā or more), choosing a stable set of names/mantra and returning to it whenever the mind wanders.

Vishishtadvaita: Nāma is not a mere symbol but a real mode of encountering the Lord’s auspicious qualities; the many names indicate His infinite kalyāṇa-guṇas while remaining one Supreme Person.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Yajnesha
• Achyuta
• Govinda
• Ananta
• The King (unnamed in this verse)

FAQs

What is the significance of chanting Vishnu’s names in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents nāma-smṛti (remembrance through names) as a complete act in itself—the king relies solely on Vishnu’s epithets as his spiritual refuge and focus.

How does Sage Parāśara frame devotion in this chapter’s narrative?

Parāśara narrates a royal episode where devotion is shown not through elaborate ritual detail, but through concentrated utterance of Vishnu’s names, emphasizing inner surrender and remembrance.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

By listing many divine titles, the verse affirms Vishnu’s total supremacy—He is Lord of yajña, the infallible protector, the infinite all-pervading ruler, and master of the senses—encompassing cosmic and personal sovereignty.