Shloka 27

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

Devanagari script

इत्य् उक्तो ऽन्तर् जलं गत्वा हत्वा पञ्चजनं च तम् कृष्णो जग्राह तस्यास्थिप्रभवं शङ्खम् उत्तमम्

Transliteration

ity ukto 'ntar jalaṃ gatvā hatvā pañcajanaṃ ca tam kṛṣṇo jagrāha tasyāsthiprabhavaṃ śaṅkham uttamam

Translation

Thus addressed, Kṛṣṇa plunged into the depths of the waters; and having slain Pañcajana, he took up the excellent conch born from that being’s very bones—the famed Pāñcajanya.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Discourse marker (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्य-समाप्ति/उद्धरण-चिह्न (quotative particle)

• उक्तः: having been told
• उक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘उक्तः’ = “having been told/addressed”

• अन्तः: within/inside
• अन्तः: Qualifier (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्तर् (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्ययीभावार्थे ‘within/inside’ (used adverbially)

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karma (कर्म/Goal as object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; गन्तव्य-देश (goal)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गम् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• हत्वा: having slain
• हत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हन् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• पञ्चजनम्: Pañcajana
• पञ्चजनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेष-नाम

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Appositive object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कृष्णः: Krishna
• कृष्णः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जग्राह: took/seized
• जग्राह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

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

• अस्थिप्रभवम्: originating from (his) bones
• अस्थिप्रभवम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अस्थि + प्रभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पञ्चमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ (अस्थिभ्यः/अस्थेः प्रभवः = bone-origin)

• शङ्खम्: conch
• शङ्खम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent/best
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa descends into the waters to slay Pañcajana and to obtain the conch Pāñcajanya as a divine emblem for protecting dharma.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Removal of asuric obstruction and establishment of auspicious divine insignia (śaṅkha) for righteous victory

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Pañcajana
• Pāñcajanya (conch)

FAQs

What is the significance of the Pāñcajanya conch in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents the conch as a consecrated emblem of Kṛṣṇa’s divine authority—obtained after subduing Pañcajana—and thus a symbol of Vishnu’s sovereignty and auspicious presence.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Krishna’s action in this underwater episode?

Parāśara narrates it as a decisive avatāra deed: Kṛṣṇa enters the waters, destroys the obstructive being Pañcajana, and retrieves a sacred insignia (the conch), restoring order and securing divine emblems.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu (as Krishna) in this context?

Kṛṣṇa is shown as the Supreme Lord whose power extends even into the oceanic depths; by conquering hostile forces and claiming the śaṅkha, he manifests protective lordship (rakṣakatva) central to Vaiṣṇava theology.