Shloka 2

इन्द्रक्रोधः, संवर्तक-वर्षणम्, गोवर्धनधारण-लीला

Devanagari script

भो भो मेघा निशम्यैतद् वचनं वदतो मम आज्ञानन्तरम् एवाशु क्रियताम् अविचारितम्

Transliteration

bho bho meghā niśamyaitad vacanaṃ vadato mama ājñānantaram evāśu kriyatām avicāritam

Translation

“O clouds, O clouds—hear my words: carry out my command at once, without hesitation and without deliberation.”

Word by Word

• भो: O!
• भो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भो (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• भो: O!
• भो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भो (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (repetition for emphasis)

• मेघाः: O clouds
• मेघाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), बहुवचन

• निशम्य: having heard
• निशम्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि-शम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having heard)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• वचनम्: speech, command
• वचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• वदतः: of (me) speaking
• वदतः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle); षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; मम इति सह सम्बन्ध (of me who am speaking)

• मम: my, of me
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• आज्ञा-अन्तरम्: any interval after (my) command
• आज्ञा-अन्तरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (आज्ञायाः अन्तरम् = interval/space after (my) command)

• एव: just, indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (restrictive/emphatic)

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: Kala/Prakara (Adverbial/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: शीघ्रार्थक-अव्यय (adverb of speed)

• क्रियताम्: let it be done
• क्रियताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive: let it be done)

• अविचारितम्: without deliberation, unconsidered
• अविचारितम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-चर् (धातु) + अ (नञ्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नञ्-पूर्वक (not deliberated)

Speaker

A commanding royal/authoritative figure addressing the clouds (Meghas) within the narrative recounted by Sage Parāśara to Maitreya

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Commands issued without reflection (avicāra) become instruments of adharma; true authority is guided by discernment and compassion.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Before acting on anger or institutional power, pause for deliberation; ensure actions do not punish the innocent or inflate ego.

Vishishtadvaita: Moral order is grounded in the Supreme; subordinate powers err when severed from that grounding, reinforcing the need for surrender to the Lord’s will.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Characters & Entities

• Clouds (Meghas)

FAQs

What is the significance of commanding the clouds in the Vishnu Purana?

It highlights the Purana’s theme that nature operates under higher governance—whether royal authority aligned with dharma or ultimately the divine order upheld by Vishnu.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the idea of authority in this context?

Through narrative examples where commands are issued and obeyed, Parāśara illustrates that rightful authority functions when aligned with order (dharma/ṛta), mirroring the cosmic sovereignty attributed to Vishnu.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the underlying worldview is Vaishnava: all forces of nature are ultimately subordinate to the Supreme Reality that sustains and regulates the cosmos.