Shloka 33

कुब्जानुग्रहः, धनुर्भङ्गः, कुवलयापीडवधः, मल्लयुद्धं, कंसवधः, स्तुतयः

Devanagari script

सो ऽयं येन हता घोरा पूतना सा निशाचरी क्षिप्तं तु शकटं येन भग्नौ च यमलार्जुनौ

Transliteration

so 'yaṃ yena hatā ghorā pūtanā sā niśācarī kṣiptaṃ tu śakaṭaṃ yena bhagnau ca yamalārjunau

Translation

He is the very One who slew the dreadful night-roaming Pūtanā, who hurled away the cart, and who shattered the twin Arjuna trees—this is that same Hari.

Word by Word

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

• अयम्: this (very one)
• अयम्: Apposition (Samanadhikarana/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (समानाधिकरण)

• येन: by whom
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/हेतु-प्रयोगे

• हता: was killed
• हता: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु) → हत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भावः (was slain)

• घोरा: terrible
• घोरा: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• पूतना: Pūtanā
• पूतना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूतना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सा: she
• सा: Apposition (Samanadhikarana/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (समानाधिकरण)

• निशाचरी: the night-roaming demoness
• निशाचरी: Apposition (Samanadhikarana/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशाचरिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• क्षिप्तम्: was hurled/overturned
• क्षिप्तम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु) → क्षिप्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र ‘शकटम्’ इति कर्मसमानाधिकरणे (was hurled)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (Nipata/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• शकटम्: the cart
• शकटम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• येन: by whom
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• भग्नौ: were broken
• भग्नौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भञ्ज् (धातु) → भग्न (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; (were broken)

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

• यमलार्जुनौ: the twin Arjuna trees
• यमलार्जुनौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यमल (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्जुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (यमलौ अर्जुनौ)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya, within the Krishna narrative)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To protect Vraja and remove asuric threats through childlike līlā that safeguards the worlds’ order.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Safety of the innocent and the defeat of predatory adharma

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Bhagavān’s seemingly simple childhood acts are divine līlā that simultaneously protect beings and uphold cosmic order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Remember and recite the Lord’s protective deeds (līlā-smaraṇa) to cultivate trust and devotion in adversity.

Vishishtadvaita: The Supreme (Para) freely becomes near as Kṛṣṇa for devotees while remaining the sustainer of the universe (jagat-śeṣi).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Pūtanā
• Śakaṭa (cart/Śakaṭāsura episode)
• Yamalārjuna (twin Arjuna trees)

FAQs

What is the significance of Pūtanā’s slaying in the Vishnu Purana?

It marks the infant Krishna as the Supreme Protector: even in apparent vulnerability, Vishnu’s avatāra destroys adharma and safeguards the community of devotees.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Krishna’s identity through these feats?

By listing unmistakable acts—killing Pūtanā, overturning the cart, and breaking the twin Arjuna trees—Parāśara establishes continuity between the child’s deeds and Vishnu’s cosmic sovereignty.

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

The verse frames Krishna-līlā as revelation: Vishnu, the Supreme Reality, appears as a child yet remains the Lord whose power subdues demonic forces and upholds dharma.