Shloka 81

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

Devanagari script

ततस् त्वां शतदृक् छक्रः प्रणम्य मम गौरवात् प्रणिपातानतशिरा भगिनीत्वे ग्रहीष्यति

Transliteration

tatas tvāṃ śatadṛk chakraḥ praṇamya mama gauravāt praṇipātānataśirā bhaginītve grahīṣyati

Translation

Then Shatakratu (Indra), the wielder of the discus, will bow to you out of regard for me; and with his head bent low in full prostration, he will accept you as his sister.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — 'then/thereafter'

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (लिङ्ग-निर्देशः न; सर्वनाम) — Accusative singular

• शतदृक्: the hundred-eyed one (Indra)
• शतदृक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत + दृश् (धातु) → शतदृश्/शतदृक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Bahuvrīhi epithet; 'having a hundred eyes'

• छक्रः: Śakra (Indra)
• छक्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nominative singular

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Kriya-viseshana (Converb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त), Absolutive/Gerund — 'having bowed'

• मम: of me, my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Genitive singular

• गौरवात्: out of respect, due to reverence
• गौरवात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Ablative singular; कारणार्थे (cause)

• प्रणिपातानतशिराः: with head bowed in prostration
• प्रणिपातानतशिराः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रणिपात + आनत + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — adjective to शक्रः; 'with head bowed in prostration'

• भगिनीत्वे: in the status of (his) sisterhood; as a sister
• भगिनीत्वे: Adhikarana (State/अवस्थाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगिनी + त्व (तद्धित-प्रत्यय) → भगिनीत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Locative singular; अवस्थार्थे (state/role)

• ग्रहīष्यति: will accept (you)
• ग्रहīष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (भविष्यत्काल), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — 'will accept/take'

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Kṛṣṇa’s early actions and the divine arrangements surrounding His household and protective powers.

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa arranges the protection and honorable placement of His kin by having Indra accept the addressed goddess-figure as sister, securing divine alliance.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Restoration of proper deva–yakṣa/daitya power-balance through respectful submission of Indra under Kṛṣṇa’s ordinance.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even the king of gods acts in humility when the Lord’s will and the Lord’s honored relationships are at stake.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate humility and respect for devotees and divine order, even when socially powerful.

Vishishtadvaita: Hierarchy is preserved: devas retain roles, yet submit to the Lord’s sovereign will as indwelling ruler of all.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Śatakratu/Śatadṛk)
• Chakra (discus)

FAQs

What is the significance of Indra accepting someone as a sister in the Vishnu Purana?

It formalizes a protective and honor-bound relationship, showing how cosmic authority is stabilized through dharmic kinship and public reverence.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of respect (gaurava) in maintaining order?

By depicting even Indra acting from 'gaurava,' the text presents reverence and humility as instruments that preserve hierarchy, legitimacy, and dharma.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu in this context?

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Purana’s framework implies such ordered relationships operate within Vishnu’s supreme governance of cosmic law and sovereignty.