Shloka 26

केशीवधः तथा ‘केशव’ नामप्रसिद्धिः

Devanagari script

तत्रानेकप्रकाराणि युद्धानि पृथिवीक्षिताम् द्रष्टव्यानि मया युष्मत्प्रणीतानि जनार्दन

Transliteration

tatrānekaprakārāṇi yuddhāni pṛthivīkṣitām draṣṭavyāni mayā yuṣmatpraṇītāni janārdana

Translation

There, O Janārdana, I am to behold wars of many kinds among the kings of the earth—conflicts set in motion by You, and governed by Your ordinance.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• अनेकप्रकाराणि: of many kinds
• अनेकप्रकाराणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेक + प्रकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (1st/nominative), बहुवचन (plural); विशेषण

• युद्धानि: battles
• युद्धानि: Karma (Object of seeing/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (1st/nominative), बहुवचन (plural)

• पृथिवीक्षिताम्: of the kings
• पृथिवीक्षिताम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी + क्षित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन (plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (pṛthivyāḥ kṣitaḥ = king)

• द्रष्टव्यानि: to be seen; should be seen
• द्रष्टव्यानि: Kriya (Predicative necessity/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → द्रष्टव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (1st/nominative), बहुवचन (plural)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन (singular); सर्वनाम

• युष्मत्प्रणीतानि: brought about/led by you
• युष्मत्प्रणीतानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युष्मद् + प्र + नी (धातु) → प्रणीत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (1st/nominative), बहुवचन (plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (yuṣmatā praṇītāni)

• जनार्दन: O Janārdana
• जनार्दन: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

A devotee/agent addressing Lord Vishnu (Janardana) within the dynastic narrative (as relayed by Sage Parashara to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He descends to regulate the course of events among earthly kings, orchestrating conflicts that culminate in the reduction of adharmic power.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Rebalancing of kṣatriya power and restoration of righteous order under divine ordinance

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even political upheavals and wars among rulers unfold within the Lord’s niyati (ordinance), revealing divine governance behind history.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate discernment and steadiness: act ethically in worldly duties while recognizing a higher providential order.

Vishishtadvaita: Antaryāmin governance: the Lord remains the inner ruler directing worldly processes without negating individual agency.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Janardana)
• Kings (earthly rulers)

FAQs

What is the significance of wars among kings in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames royal wars not as random violence but as events operating under Janārdana’s governance, fitting into a wider moral and cosmic order.

How does Sage Parashara explain divine order in historical events?

Through dynastic narration, Parāśara presents political rise, fall, and conflict as occurring within Vishnu’s ordinance—human action remains visible, but ultimate regulation belongs to the Supreme.

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

Vishnu is depicted as the sovereign regulator of worldly power and conflict, reinforcing a Vaishnava view of the Supreme Reality directing history toward the restoration of dharma.