Shloka 82

Devanagari script

अशेषा भूभृतः पूर्वं वश्या यस्मै बलिं ददुः स त्वं काकत्वम् आपन्नो जातो ऽद्य बलिभुक् प्रभो

Transliteration

aśeṣā bhūbhṛtaḥ pūrvaṃ vaśyā yasmai baliṃ daduḥ sa tvaṃ kākatvam āpanno jāto 'dya balibhuk prabho

Translation

All kings once stood subdued before you and brought you tribute. Yet you—O lord who once received the offerings of rulers—have now fallen into the state of a crow, born today to live as a mere eater of scraps and oblations.

Word by Word

• aśeṣāḥ: all
• aśeṣāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of bhūbhṛtaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- + śeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; नञ्-समास: ‘without remainder, all’

• bhūbhṛtaḥ: kings
• bhūbhṛtaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū + bhṛt (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘भू-भृत्’ = king/mountain-bearer; here ‘kings’

• pūrvam: formerly
• pūrvam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrva (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (formerly/before)

• vaśyāḥ: submissive
• vaśyāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of bhūbhṛtaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaśya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘submissive/under control’

• yasmai: to whom
• yasmai: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• balim: tribute/offering
• balim: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• daduḥ: gave
• daduḥ: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (दा धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• saḥ: he/that (one)
• saḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tvam: you
• tvam: Samanadhikarana (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kākatvam: crowhood
• kākatvam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāka + tva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• āpannaḥ: having attained
• āpannaḥ: Kriyā (Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: āp (आप् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘attained’

• jātaḥ: born/has become
• jātaḥ: Kriyā (Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (जन् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘born/become’

• adya: today/now
• adya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (today/now)

• balibhuk: eater of offerings
• balibhuk: Pratijñā/Predicate nominative
• Type: Noun
• Root: bali + bhuj (भुज् धातु; भुक्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘बलिं भुङ्क्ते’ (one who eats offerings)

• prabho: O lord
• prabho: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

A speaker addressing a fallen former ruler (within Parāśara’s narration to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Impermanence of royal power under karma; reversal of fortune as ethical instruction.

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Worldly dominance and honor (tribute from kings) can invert into abasement; therefore one should cultivate detachment and dharmic steadiness.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Use success as a prompt for humility and service; build identity around virtue and devotion rather than status.

Vishishtadvaita: Detachment supports prapatti/bhakti: recognizing oneself as not independent lord but a dependent self under the Lord’s moral order.

Characters & Entities

• Kings (bhūbhṛt)

FAQs

What is the significance of becoming a crow in this verse of the Vishnu Purana?

It functions as a karmic and moral symbol of drastic reversal—one who once received tribute from kings is shown reduced to a lowly birth, underscoring impermanence and the ethical consequences of conduct.

How does Parashara use dynastic stories to teach dharma in the Vishnu Purana?

Through genealogical episodes, Parāśara highlights how power and status are unstable and governed by dharma and karma, using striking contrasts (king to crow) as narrative instruction.

What is the theological takeaway regarding sovereignty in this context?

Worldly sovereignty is contingent and transient; true supremacy belongs to the higher cosmic order upheld by the Supreme Reality (Viṣṇu), before whom kingship is ultimately secondary.