Shloka 14

केशीवधः तथा ‘केशव’ नामप्रसिद्धिः

Devanagari script

व्यादितास्यो महारौद्रः सो ऽसुरः कृष्णबाहुना निपपात द्विधाभूतो वैद्युतेन यथा द्रुमः

Transliteration

vyāditāsyo mahāraudraḥ so 'suraḥ kṛṣṇabāhunā nipapāta dvidhābhūto vaidyutena yathā drumaḥ

Translation

With jaws gaping and fierce terror blazing, that raging Asura was struck down by Kṛṣṇa’s arm; split in two, he fell like a tree cleft by a thunderbolt.

Word by Word

• व्यादितास्यः: (having) gaping mouth
• व्यादितास्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यादित (कृदन्त; √दा/दद् ‘to give’ उपसर्ग-वि-आ + क्त) + आस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘व्यादितम् आस्यं यस्य सः’ (whose mouth is opened wide)

• महारौद्रः: very fierce
• महारौद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महā (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्-पूर्वपद) + रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘महान् रौद्रः’ (very fierce)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• असुरः: the demon
• असुरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• कृष्णबाहुना: by Krishna’s arm
• कृष्णबाहुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/सम्बन्ध)—‘कृष्णस्य बाहुः’ → ‘by Krishna’s arm/hand’

• निपपात: fell down
• निपपात: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पत् (धातु) नि-उपसर्ग; लिट्/परस्मैपद-रूप (काव्ये भूतार्थे)
• Form: लकारः: लिट् (Perfect; past sense), परस्मैपदम्; पुरुषः: प्रथम (3rd), वचनम्: एकवचन

• द्विधा: into two, in two ways
• द्विधा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्विधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• भूतः: become
• भूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूत (कृदन्त; √भू ‘to be’ क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• वैद्युतेन: by lightning
• वैद्युतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैद्युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• यथा: as, like
• यथा: Upamana-marker (Comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक (comparative particle)

• द्रुमः: a tree
• द्रुमः: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Kṛṣṇa’s Vraja-līlā and the slaying of asuras sent by Kaṃsa.

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To protect Vraja and remove the asuric threats sent to destroy him and terrorize the cowherd community.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Loka-rakṣaṇa—safety of the innocent and the re-establishment of fearlessness in Vraja.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Asura (demon)

FAQs

What is the significance of Krishna splitting the Asura in this Vishnu Purana verse?

It dramatizes divine sovereignty: the asuric force, even at its most furious, is effortlessly subdued when Vishnu’s avatāra acts to reestablish dharma.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine intervention in such battle scenes?

Through vivid comparisons (like a lightning-split tree), Parāśara frames the event as more than violence—an emblem of cosmic governance where the Lord’s power restores order.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Kṛṣṇa’s decisive act underscores Vishnu’s supremacy: the avatāra is the visible instrument of the Supreme Reality protecting the world from adharmic disruption.