Shloka 11

अरिष्टवृषभदैत्यवधः (गोव्रजत्राणम्)

Devanagari script

आसन्नं चैव जग्राह ग्राहवन् मधुसूदनः जघान जानुना कुक्षौ विषाणग्रहणाचलम्

Transliteration

āsannaṃ caiva jagrāha grāhavan madhusūdanaḥ jaghāna jānunā kukṣau viṣāṇagrahaṇācalam

Translation

When the ass-demon rushed in close, Madhusūdana seized him at once; holding him fast like a crocodile’s deadly grip, the Lord drove His knee into the creature’s flank—like a mountain caught by its horn.

Word by Word

• आसन्नम्: near, approached
• आसन्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आसन्न (कृदन्त; √सद् (धातु) + उपसर्ग आ-; क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (past passive participle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• जग्राह: seized, grasped
• जग्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ग्राहवत्: like a crocodile; crocodile-like
• ग्राहवत्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्राहवत् (प्रातिपदिक; ग्राह + वत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; वत्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (possessing/like)

• मधुसूदनः: Madhusūdana (Vishnu/Krishna)
• मधुसूदनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधुसूदन (प्रातिपदिक; मधु + सूदन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मधोः सूदनः)

• जघान: struck, slew
• जघान: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• जानुना: with the knee
• जानुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जानु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• कुक्षौ: in/on the belly
• कुक्षौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुक्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• विषाणग्रहणाचलम्: the immovable one (bull) seized by the horns
• विषाणग्रहणाचलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषाण-ग्रहण-अचल (प्रातिपदिक; विषाण + ग्रहण + अचल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (विषाणस्य ग्रहणम्; तद्वत् अचलः/अचलवत्)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Krishna’s deeds in Vraja and the subduing of asuras threatening the cowherds.

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To protect Vraja and reduce the oppressive burden of demonic forces while delighting devotees through līlā.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Protection of the cowherd community and restoration of safety for dharmic pastoral life (go-rakṣaṇa, loka-rakṣaṇa).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Krishna (Madhusūdana)
• Ass-demon (Dhenuka, implied)

FAQs

What is the significance of Krishna’s demon-slaying in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents Krishna (Madhusūdana) as Vishnu’s sovereign power made visible—subduing disruptive forces swiftly, thereby protecting the righteous and restoring dharma.

How does Sage Parāśara frame divine power in this combat scene?

Parāśara narrates the action in vivid physical imagery—yet the underlying point is theological: the Lord’s effortless mastery signals the supremacy of Vishnu even within human-like līlā.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

By naming Krishna as “Madhusūdana,” the text connects the Vraja episode to Vishnu’s eternal identity as the Supreme Reality who removes chaos and upholds cosmic order.