Shloka 10

केशीवधः तथा ‘केशव’ नामप्रसिद्धिः

Devanagari script

केशिनो वदनं तेन विशता कृष्णबाहुना शातिता दशनाः पेतुः सिताभ्रावयवा इव

Transliteration

keśino vadanaṃ tena viśatā kṛṣṇabāhunā śātitā daśanāḥ petuḥ sitābhrāvayavā iva

Translation

As Kṛṣṇa’s arm thrust into Keśin’s gaping mouth, the demon’s teeth were shattered; and those broken white fangs fell away like fragments of a pale cloud torn apart—revealing, in the very violence of the moment, the irresistible sovereignty of the Lord who protects the order of the world.

Word by Word

• केशिनः: of Keśin
• केशिनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वदनम्: mouth
• वदनम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र द्वितीया (object of ‘विशता’)

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

• विशता: entering
• विशता: Karana (Instrumental participle—means/करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश् (धातु) + शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present participle), तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; ‘entering’

• कृष्णबाहुना: by Krishna’s arm
• कृष्णबाहुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘कृष्णस्य बाहुः/कृष्णः बाहुः’ (Krishna’s arm)

• शातिताः: shattered
• शातिताः: Karta (Subject—of ‘पेतुः’/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शाति/शात् (धातु, ‘to break/split’) + क्त (भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘broken/splintered’

• दशनाः: teeth
• दशनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पेतुः: fell
• पेतुः: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• सिताभ्रावयवाः: like pieces of white clouds
• सिताभ्रावयवाः: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक) + अभ्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अवयव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-सम्भव); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘सिताभ्रस्य अवयवाः’

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (Simile marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: poetic

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa breaks Keśin’s power decisively, safeguarding the world-order by destroying the demon’s weaponized ferocity.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Restoration of safety and the proper order (ṛta/dharma) against predatory adharma.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Keśin

FAQs

What is the significance of Keśin’s shattered teeth in the Vishnu Purana?

It dramatizes the utter helplessness of adharma before the Lord’s power—Krishna’s single act breaks the demon’s violence at its root and signals decisive protection of Vraja.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine protection in this episode?

Through vivid battle imagery: Parāśara presents Krishna’s intervention as immediate and absolute, showing that the Supreme Lord actively restores order when threats arise.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu (as Krishna) here?

Krishna is not merely a heroic figure; he functions as Vishnu’s avatāra whose irresistible sovereignty upholds dharma and safeguards devotees, aligning narrative action with Vaishnava metaphysics.