Shloka 13

केशीवधः तथा ‘केशव’ नामप्रसिद्धिः

Devanagari script

जघान धरणीं पादैः शकृन्मूत्रं समुत्सृजन् स्वेदार्द्रगात्रः श्रान्तश् च निर्यत्नः सो ऽभवत् ततः

Transliteration

jaghāna dharaṇīṃ pādaiḥ śakṛnmūtraṃ samutsṛjan svedārdragātraḥ śrāntaś ca niryatnaḥ so 'bhavat tataḥ

Translation

He struck the earth with his feet, voiding excrement and urine; his limbs drenched in sweat and overcome by fatigue, he then became utterly incapable of further effort.

Word by Word

• जघान: struck; beat
• जघान: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• धरणीम्: the earth/ground
• धरणीम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पादैः: with (his) feet
• पादैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• शकृन्मूत्रम्: feces and urine
• शकृन्मूत्रम्: Karman (Object of ‘समुत्सृजन्’/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकृत् (प्रातिपदिक) + मूत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (इतरेतर); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समाहार-द्वन्द्व)

• समुत्सृजन्: voiding; excreting
• समुत्सृजन्: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उत् + सृज् (धातु) + शतृ
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘voiding/expelling’

• स्वेदार्द्रगात्रः: whose limbs were wet with sweat
• स्वेदार्द्रगात्रः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + गात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘स्वेदेन आर्द्राणि गात्राणि यस्य’

• श्रान्तः: exhausted
• श्रान्तः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रान्त (प्रातिपदिक; √श्रम् + क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• निर्यत्नः: without effort; inert
• निर्यत्नः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (effortless/without effort, inert)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• ततः: thereupon; then
• ततः: Apadana (Source/sequence marker/अपादान-भाव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेतौ/अनन्तरं (thereupon/then)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: graphic-realistic

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: By exhausting and humiliating Keśin, Kṛṣṇa completes the demon’s defeat and secures Vraja from terror.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Public safety and the cessation of fear inflicted by asuric violence.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Asuric pride ends in bodily helplessness; the gross body’s humiliations expose the futility of arrogance.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate humility and detachment by remembering bodily limits; redirect energy toward service and self-restraint rather than domination.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord protects devotees by making adharma self-defeating, revealing the dependence of all embodied power upon the Supreme.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Characters & Entities

• Earth (Dharaṇī)

FAQs

What is the significance of describing exhaustion and loss of control in the Vishnu Purana?

It underscores the fragility of embodied power—when strength and pride peak, the body’s limits reassert themselves, reminding the listener that all capability ultimately operates within cosmic law.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the collapse of effort in this context?

By narrating a vivid physical breakdown—sweat, fatigue, and helplessness—Parāśara shows that force alone cannot sustain action; decline comes when vitality is spent and destiny ripens.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Even when Vishnu is not named in the line, the Purana’s frame implies that sovereignty belongs to the Supreme Reality: individual might rises and falls under the higher order governed by Vishnu.