Shloka 12

अरिष्टवृषभदैत्यवधः (गोव्रजत्राणम्)

Devanagari script

तस्य दर्पबलं भङ्क्त्वा गृहीतस्य विषाणयोः अपीडयद् अरिष्टस्य कण्ठं क्लिन्नम् इवाम्बरम्

Transliteration

tasya darpabalaṃ bhaṅktvā gṛhītasya viṣāṇayoḥ apīḍayad ariṣṭasya kaṇṭhaṃ klinnam ivāmbaram

Translation

Shattering his pride and brute strength, and seizing him by the horns, the Lord squeezed Ariṣṭa’s throat—crumpling it like cloth soaked and softened by water.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/its
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दर्पबलम्: pride and strength
• दर्पबलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्प-बल (प्रातिपदिक; दर्प + बल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (दर्पश्च बलं च)

• भङ्क्त्वा: having broken
• भङ्क्त्वा: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भञ्ज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• गृहीतस्य: of the seized one
• गृहीतस्य: Sambandha (Qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गृहीत (कृदन्त; √ग्रह् (धातु) क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• विषाणयोः: of the two horns
• विषाणयोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, द्विवचन

• अपीडयत्: pressed, squeezed
• अपीडयत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पीड् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्ग अपि-

• अरिष्टस्य: of Ariṣṭa
• अरिष्टस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• कण्ठम्: throat, neck
• कण्ठम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• क्लिन्नम्: wet, soaked
• क्लिन्नम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्लिन्न (कृदन्त; √क्लिद् (धातु) क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण

• इव: like, as if
• इव: Sambandha (Simile-marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमार्थक अव्यय (comparative particle)

• अम्बरम्: a garment, cloth
• अम्बरम्: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Continuation of Krishna’s slaying of Ariṣṭa and the protection of the cowherds.

Teaching: Historical

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To subdue the asura threatening Vraja and demonstrate effortless divine sovereignty in protection of devotees.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Removal of fear and violence from Vraja; reaffirmation of divine protection for the surrendered.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Ariṣṭa (bull-demon)

FAQs

What is the significance of Ariṣṭa’s pride being broken in the Vishnu Purana?

The verse frames the demon’s defeat as the collapse of darpa (arrogant self-assertion) before Bhagavān, showing that adharma-powered strength cannot stand against the Lord’s sovereign will.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Krishna’s action here?

Parāśara narrates a direct, physical lila—Krishna seizing the horns and crushing the throat—to emphasize effortless divine mastery and the protection of the cowherd community.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Krishna’s victory is presented as the Supreme Lord’s governance of cosmic order: Vishnu, as Bhagavān, incarnates to remove demonic forces and re-establish dharma while remaining fully sovereign.