Shloka 3

देवकी-विवाहः, आकाशवाणी, भूरभारावतरण-याचना, क्षीराब्धि-स्तुति, केशावतार-नियोजनम्

Devanagari script

चकार यानि कर्माणि भगवान् पुरुषोत्तमः अंशांशेनावतीर्योर्व्यां तत्र तानि मुने वद

Transliteration

cakāra yāni karmāṇi bhagavān puruṣottamaḥ aṃśāṃśenāvatīryorvyāṃ tatra tāni mune vada

Translation

O sage, recount to me those deeds which the Blessed Lord—the Supreme Person—performed after descending into the world in partial manifestations; tell them here, in their proper course.

Word by Word

• चकार: did, performed
• चकार: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• यानि: which (deeds)
• यानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक

• कर्माणि: deeds, actions
• कर्माणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पुरुषोत्तमः: the Supreme Person
• पुरुषोत्तमः: Visheshana (Appositive qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (उत्तमः पुरुषः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भगवतः विशेषण/उपाधि

• अंशांशेन: by a portion of a portion (in partial measure)
• अंशांशेन: Karana (Means/Manner/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंश (प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (अंशस्य अंशेन = अंश-अंश-भावः), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; साधन/प्रकारार्थे

• अवतीर्य: having descended
• अवतीर्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + तॄ (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया

• उर्व्याम्: on the earth
• उर्व्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उर्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तत्र: there, in that context
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• तानि: those (deeds)
• तानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• वद: tell, speak
• वद: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Maitreya (addressing Sage Parāśara)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Maitreya

Topic: Request to narrate, in proper sequence, the deeds (karmāṇi) of Bhagavān Puruṣottama after His descent in aṃśa/aṃśāṃśa forms.

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: insistent on orderly narration

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: The Supreme Person performs world-benefiting deeds after descending in partial manifestations to protect beings and uphold dharma.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Reassurance and protection for the righteous; rebalancing of power toward dharma.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The deeds of Puruṣottama in the world are worthy of sequential remembrance because līlā is a vehicle of dharma and grace.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice regular śravaṇa-manana (hearing and reflecting) on the Lord’s līlā in a structured way—daily reading with continuity.

Vishishtadvaita: Puruṣottama’s transcendence is affirmed even while He ‘descends’—the Lord acts within the world without being limited by it.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of “aṃśāṃśena avatīrya” (descending by partial manifestations) in the Vishnu Purana?

It highlights that the Supreme Lord remains transcendent while manifesting in the world through measured divine portions to accomplish līlā and restore dharma.

How does Sage Parāśara structure the narration of Krishna’s deeds in this dialogue?

Maitreya’s request frames Parāśara’s account: the sage narrates the Lord’s earthly acts sequentially as part of Book 5’s Krishna-centered storyline.

What is the theological importance of calling Vishnu “Bhagavān Puruṣottama” here?

The verse affirms Vishnu as the Supreme Person—ultimate sovereignty and reality—so the avatāra deeds are not merely historical events but expressions of the highest divine will.