Shloka 44

अक्रूर-सत्कारः, मथुरायात्रा-विरहः, यमुनातटे दिव्यदर्शनम्, चतुर्व्यूह-नमस्कारः

Devanagari script

विवक्षोः स्तम्भयाम् आस वाचं तस्य जनार्दनः ततो निष्क्रम्य सलिलाद् रथम् अभ्यागतः पुनः

Transliteration

vivakṣoḥ stambhayām āsa vācaṃ tasya janārdanaḥ tato niṣkramya salilād ratham abhyāgataḥ punaḥ

Translation

As words were about to burst from him, Janārdana checked his speech. Then, emerging from the waters, He returned again to the chariot.

Word by Word

• विवक्षोः: of (him) wishing to speak
• विवक्षोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि+वक्ष् (धातु) → विवक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘of (one) wishing to speak’ (इच्छार्थक-भाव)

• स्तम्भयाम्: (causing to) stop/hold back
• स्तम्भयाम्: Kriyā (Auxiliary action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तम्भय् (धातु; स्तम्भ् + णिच्)
• Form: णमुल्/आमन्त-रूप (stambhayām) with ‘आस्’ periphrastic construction; क्रियाविशेषणार्थं (inceptive/continuative sense)

• आस: did/was (in the act)
• आस: Kriyā (Main verbal support/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्/लङ्-प्रयोगे परिप्रयोग (periphrastic with stambhayām); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• वाचम्: speech/voice
• वाचम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

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

• जनार्दनः: Janārdana (Vishnu/Kṛṣṇa)
• जनार्दनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Temporal/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/क्रमवाचक (then/from there)

• निष्क्रम्य: having emerged
• निष्क्रम्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Prior action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निस्+क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having come out’

• सलिलात्: from the water
• सलिलात्: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सलिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• रथम्: the chariot
• रथम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अभ्यागतः: returned/arrived near
• अभ्यागतः: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि+आ+गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘having come near/arrived’

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: again)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating) to Maitreya

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How Akrūra beheld the Lord’s majesty in the waters and what followed

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To enact divine līlā that protects devotees and reveals His lordship while advancing the downfall of Kaṃsa.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Safeguarding the divine mission through controlled revelation and concealment of majesty

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Bhagavān can reveal or conceal His divinity at will, guiding the devotee’s response and preserving the integrity of līlā.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate reverent restraint: let devotion mature through inner contemplation rather than impulsive display, trusting the Lord’s timing.

Vishishtadvaita: The personal Lord (Janārdana) sovereignly governs the devotee’s faculties (speech/mind) while remaining accessible in līlā—transcendent yet immanently directive.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Janardana

FAQs

What is the significance of Janārdana restraining someone’s speech in the Vishnu Purana?

It underscores Vishnu’s sovereign governance over human faculties, showing that even speech and intention can be checked to protect dharma and the proper unfolding of events.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine control in this episode?

Through narrative action rather than abstract doctrine: Parāśara depicts Vishnu directly intervening—stilling speech and moving through the waters—indicating the Lord’s immediate agency in worldly affairs.

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

Vishnu appears as the Supreme Protector who regulates impulse and circumstance, affirming a Vaishnava vision where the Lord’s will sustains order and guides history.