Shloka 25

वैष्णवीमायावितानम्, उग्रसेनाभिषेकः, सुधर्मासभा, सांदीपनिगमनम्, पाञ्चजन्य-प्राप्तिः, गुरुदक्षिणा

Devanagari script

गृहीतास्त्रौ ततस् तौ तु सार्घपात्रो महोदधिः उवाच न मया पुत्रो हृतः सांदीपनेर् इति

Transliteration

gṛhītāstrau tatas tau tu sārghapātro mahodadhiḥ uvāca na mayā putro hṛtaḥ sāṃdīpaner iti

Translation

Then the two, taking up their divine weapons, approached the mighty Ocean, bearer of the conch and discus. And the great sea spoke: “It was not I who took away Sandīpani’s son.”

Word by Word

• गृहीत-अस्त्रौ: having taken up weapons
• गृहीत-अस्त्रौ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) → गृहीत (कृदन्त) + अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘गृहीते अस्त्रे यस्य’ (as epithet of ‘तौ’, nom. du.)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: then/from there)

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), द्विवचन (nom. du.)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• स-अर्घ-पात्रः: (the one) with the offering-vessel
• स-अर्घ-पात्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्घ (प्रातिपदिक) + पात्र (प्रातिपदिक) + स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय-पूर्वपद)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘अर्घपात्रयुक्तः’ (nom. sg.)

• महा-उदधिः: the great ocean
• महा-उदधिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + उदधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (nom. sg.)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (perfect, 3rd sg.)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr-karana (Agent-instrument/कर्ता-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (करण/कर्ता-हेतु), एकवचन; ‘मया’ (instr. sg.)

• पुत्रः: the son
• पुत्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन (nom. sg.)

• हृतः: was taken away
• हृतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु) → हृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (भूतकर्मणि), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘taken away’ (past passive participle, nom. sg.)

• सांदीपनेः: of Sāṃdīpani
• सांदीपनेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सांदीपनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (gen. sg.)

• इति: thus
• इति: Vakya-parisamapti (Quotation marker/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

Speaker

The Great Ocean (Mahodadhi/Samudra), speaking to Krishna and Balarama

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Kṛṣṇa-carita (approach to the Ocean in the guru-dakṣiṇā episode)

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He confronts cosmic forces (here, the Ocean) to fulfill the guru’s request and demonstrate sovereignty over the world’s powers.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Dharma of truthful inquiry and right attribution of agency; honoring the guru by pursuing the true cause of loss.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even mighty powers are accountable to truth; discernment seeks the real agent rather than convenient blame.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: When harm occurs, investigate carefully and act firmly yet fairly; combine strength (śakti) with truthfulness (satya).

Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic entities (like the Ocean) function as dependent realities within Bhagavān’s order, aligning with a world that is real yet subordinate to the Supreme.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Balarama
• Sandipani (Sāndīpani)
• Ocean (Samudra/Mahodadhi)

FAQs

What is the significance of the Ocean denying the abduction of Sāndīpani’s son in the Vishnu Purana?

It redirects the search away from a natural/cosmic cause and highlights that even cosmic powers like the Ocean are not the ultimate agents—events unfold under higher divine order, with Krishna as the decisive protector of dharma.

How does the Vishnu Purana portray Krishna’s relationship to his guru in this episode?

By depicting Krishna (with Balarama) undertaking a perilous quest as guru-dakṣiṇā, the text presents him as the model disciple—honoring the teacher and restoring what was lost, reinforcing dharma through action.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu/Krishna in this context?

The Ocean’s declaration implies a hierarchy where cosmic forces are subordinate; Krishna, embodying Vishnu’s supremacy, moves beyond nature’s limits to re-establish order and fulfill righteous obligation.