Shloka 19

Devanagari script

जानामि भारते वंशे जातं पार्थं तवांशकम् तम् अहं पालयिष्यामि यावत् स्थास्यामि भूतले

Transliteration

jānāmi bhārate vaṃśe jātaṃ pārthaṃ tavāṃśakam tam ahaṃ pālayiṣyāmi yāvat sthāsyāmi bhūtale

Translation

I know that in the Bharata line Pārtha has been born, a portion of your own being. Him I shall sustain and protect for as long as I remain upon the earth.

Word by Word

• जानामि: I know
• जानामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भारते: in the Bharata (lineage)
• भारते: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• वंशे: in the dynasty
• वंशे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• जातम्: born
• जातम्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘born’—qualifies pāर्थम् (object) by agreement in sense (attributive)

• पार्थम्: Pārtha (Arjuna)
• पार्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• तवांशकम्: your portion/partial incarnation
• तवांशकम्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तव (युष्मद्-षष्ठी) + अंशक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तव अंशकः)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पालयिष्यामि: will protect
• पालयिष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यावत्: as long as, until
• यावत्: Kāla-avadhi (Temporal limit/काल-अवधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधिवाचक (until/as long as)

• स्थास्यामि: I will remain
• स्थास्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भूतले: on the earth
• भूतले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

Speaker

A protective sovereign/guardian figure within the dynastic narrative (spoken as a vow of guardianship toward Pārtha/Arjuna; framed by Parāśara’s narration to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Identification of Arjuna as the Lord’s aṃśa and the divine guarantee of his protection for the forthcoming mission.

Teaching: Historical

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa’s descent includes ensuring that His aṃśa-born ally Arjuna is preserved to accomplish the Earth-burden’s removal through the coming war.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Kṣatriya-dharma aligned to divine purpose and protection of the righteous instrument (Arjuna) for restoring order.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord operates through aṃśa-manifest instruments within history, and their preservation is part of His providential governance.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: See dharmic responsibility as participation in a larger divine order; protect those committed to righteous duty and spiritual purpose.

Vishishtadvaita: Aṃśa-language supports qualified non-dualism: beings can be real dependents/parts (śeṣa) of the Lord while remaining distinct persons.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Vamsha: Chandra

Dharma Exemplar: Dharma-yuddha (righteous warfare in service of cosmic order)

Key Kings: Pārtha (Arjuna)

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Characters & Entities

• Bharata dynasty (Bhārata-vaṁśa)
• Pārtha (Arjuna)

FAQs

What is the significance of calling Pārtha an “aṁśa” in the Vishnu Purana?

It frames Arjuna as divinely empowered—an embodied “portion” linked to a higher source—supporting the Purana’s theme that dharma is upheld through beings invested with sacred potency.

How does the Vishnu Purana present kingship and protection in this verse?

Protection (pālana) is portrayed as a solemn vow tied to sovereignty: the ruler/guardian’s legitimacy is expressed through sustaining a righteous figure within the sacred dynasty.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu in this context of lineage and protection?

Even when Vishnu is not named explicitly, the logic of aṁśa and providential guardianship aligns with Vaishnava theology: the Supreme Reality ensures cosmic and social order by empowering and protecting dharma-bearing agents.