Shloka 19

शरद्वर्णनं, योगोपमा, तथा गोवर्धन-यज्ञप्रवर्तनम्

Devanagari script

मेघानां पयसां चेशो देवराजः शतक्रतुः तेन संचोदिता मेघा वर्षन्त्य् अम्बुमयं रसम्

Transliteration

meghānāṃ payasāṃ ceśo devarājaḥ śatakratuḥ tena saṃcoditā meghā varṣanty ambumayaṃ rasam

Translation

Indra—the king of the gods, famed as Śatakratu—rules over clouds and waters; urged by him, the clouds pour down their watery essence as rain.

Word by Word

• मेघानाम्: of clouds
• मेघानाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• पयसाम्: of waters
• पयसाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ईशः: lord, controller
• ईशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• देवराजः: king of the gods
• देवराजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानां राजा)

• शतक्रतुः: Shatakratu (Indra)
• शतक्रतुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (शतं क्रतवो यस्य = having a hundred sacrifices; epithet of Indra)

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• संचोदिताः: impelled, urged
• संचोदिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + चुद् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-भाव (having been impelled)

• मेघाः: clouds
• मेघाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• वर्षन्ति: rain down
• वर्षन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृष् (धातु; परस्मैपद)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• अम्बुमयम्: watery, consisting of water
• अम्बुमयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अम्बु (प्रातिपदिक) + मयट् (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying रसम्)

• रसम्: essence, liquid
• रसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Indra’s cosmic office over rain and the functional basis of his worship.

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Manvantara: Vaivasvata

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To contextualize Indra’s limited administrative role in rain so that Vraja may later recognize the Supreme controller beyond deva functions.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Right discernment of cosmic governance: devas as appointed rulers, not ultimate lords.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Indra governs rain as a delegated deva-ruler, while ultimate sovereignty belongs to the Supreme who pervades and directs all functions.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Honor natural and social systems as sacred trusts, yet keep ultimate reliance on the highest principle rather than on intermediaries.

Vishishtadvaita: Antaryāmin doctrine: the Lord indwells and empowers deva-agents, sustaining a real, ordered cosmos as His body (śarīra).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Śatakratu)
• Devas
• Clouds (Megha)
• Waters (Payas)

FAQs

What is the significance of Indra governing rain in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents rainfall as a regulated cosmic function: Indra presides over clouds and waters, ensuring rain falls in an ordered way that sustains life, reflecting the universe’s structured governance.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the working of nature through divine administration?

Parāśara describes natural processes (like rain) as coordinated through appointed cosmic powers (devas). Indra impels the clouds, showing that nature operates through an intelligible hierarchy rather than randomness.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when Indra is named as the presiding agent, the Purāṇic framework treats such deities as executors within a higher order—ultimately grounded in Vishnu as the Supreme Reality who upholds cosmic law.