Shloka 13

Jarāsandha’s Sieges and the Lord’s Human-Conforming Strategy

Rāja-dharma as Līlā

Devanagari script

तद् बलं यादवानां तैर् अजितं यद् अनेकशः तत् तु संनिधिमाहात्म्यं विष्णोर् अंशस्य चक्रिणः

Transliteration

tad balaṃ yādavānāṃ tair ajitaṃ yad anekaśaḥ tat tu saṃnidhimāhātmyaṃ viṣṇor aṃśasya cakriṇaḥ

Translation

That very might of the Yādavas—by which they proved unconquerable again and again—was, in truth, the glory of proximity: the sanctifying power of the Presence of Viṣṇu’s portion, the discus-bearing Lord.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta/Topic (Correlative pronoun/प्रकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case/nominative), एकवचन; 'बलम्' इत्यस्य सहसंबन्धी (correlative)

• बलम्: strength/power
• बलम्: Karta (Subject complement/topic/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यादवानाम्: of the Yādavas
• यादवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यादव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), बहुवचन

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; 'यादवैः' इत्यर्थे (by them)

• अजितम्: unconquered
• अजितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective to 'बलम्'/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जि (धातु) उपसर्ग: अ- (निषेध) → अजित (कृदन्त/विशेषण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) नकारार्थे: 'unconquered'

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative pronoun/यत्-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; यत्-तत् सम्बन्धः (relative pronoun)

• अनेकशः: many times
• अनेकशः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनेकशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb: many times/repeatedly)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta/Topic (Demonstrative/प्रकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पूर्वोक्तस्य निर्देशः

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle; contrast/emphasis)

• संनिधिमाहात्म्यम्: the greatness of (his) presence
• संनिधिमाहात्म्यम्: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संनिधि + माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: संनिधेः माहात्म्यम् (the greatness of proximity/presence)

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• अंशस्य: of the portion/manifestation
• अंशस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• चक्रिणः: of the discus-bearer
• चक्रिणः: Sambandha (Genitive apposition/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; चक्रधारिणः इत्यर्थः

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa, as Viṣṇu’s aṃśa, remains present among the Yādavas so that adharma cannot conquer them.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Protection of the Lord’s devotees and stabilization of righteous rule

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The true ‘strength’ of devotees is saṃnidhi—nearness to the Lord—by which divine power operates through them.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Seek steady proximity to Viṣṇu through nāma-japa, arcana, and satsanga; let dependence on grace replace anxiety about worldly power.

Vishishtadvaita: Saṃnidhi-māhātmya implies the Lord’s real, gracious presence with His devotees—transcendent yet concretely operative in the world.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of saṃnidhi-māhātmya (the glory of divine presence) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse teaches that worldly power becomes truly unconquerable when it is rooted in the Lord’s living Presence—strength is reframed as a spiritual consequence of proximity to Vishnu (through Krishna).

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Yādavas’ repeated victories?

Parāśara attributes their invincibility not to mere strategy or numbers, but to the sustaining power of Krishna—Viṣṇu’s aṃśa—whose presence makes them repeatedly “ajita,” unconquered.

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

Vishnu is presented as the ultimate ground of sovereignty: even when manifest as an aṃśa (Krishna), His presence confers protection, order, and triumph, aligning history with divine governance.