Shloka 18

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

Rāja-dharma as Līlā

Devanagari script

मनुष्यदेहिनां चेष्टाम् इत्य् एवम् अनुवर्ततः लीला जगत्पतेस् तस्य छन्दतः संप्रवर्तते

Transliteration

manuṣyadehināṃ ceṣṭām ity evam anuvartataḥ līlā jagatpates tasya chandataḥ saṃpravartate

Translation

Thus, even while conforming to the actions of embodied human beings, the līlā of that Lord of the universe unfolds solely according to His own will.

Word by Word

• मनुष्य-देहिनाम्: of embodied humans
• मनुष्य-देहिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक) + देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थे (मनुष्यदेही = मनुष्यदेहधारी)

• चेष्टाम्: activity/behavior
• चेष्टाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेष्टा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Object), एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• एवम्: in this way
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: in this manner)

• अनुवर्ततः: of (him) who follows/imitates
• अनुवर्ततः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु+वृत् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle) ‘अनुवर्तत्’ इत्यस्य षष्ठी/पञ्चमी एकवचन रूपम्; अत्र षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध) अर्थे

• लीला: play/sport
• लीला: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/Subject), एकवचन

• जगत्-पतेः: of the Lord of the world
• जगत्-पतेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (जगतः पतिः)

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

• छन्दतः: according to (his) will
• छन्दतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छन्दस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान/Ablative) एकवचन; अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः (according to/at will)

• संप्रवर्तते: proceeds/comes into operation
• संप्रवर्तते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+प्र+वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To enact divine līlā by voluntarily conforming to human modes of action while remaining the Lord of the universe.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Loka-saṅgraha (maintenance of worldly order through exemplary conduct)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord’s human-like conduct is voluntary līlā, proceeding solely from His free will, not from limitation.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: When divine actions seem ordinary or strategic, contemplate līlā: it deepens reverence and prevents judging the Lord by human constraints.

Vishishtadvaita: Highlights the Lord as both transcendent ruler (jagatpati) and immanent participant in the world’s drama, central to qualified non-dualism.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Jagatpati)

FAQs

What is the significance of līlā (divine play) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames the world-process as the Lord’s līlā: He may appear to move with human-like actions, yet everything ultimately proceeds by His sovereign will.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Lord’s relation to human behavior here?

Parāśara says the Lord ‘follows’ the activities of human embodiments in appearance and narrative form, but the true driver is His freedom and intention (chandataḥ).

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

Vishnu is presented as Jagatpati—supreme ruler whose will governs the unfolding of events, supporting Vaishnava readings where the Supreme Reality remains transcendent even while immanent in the world.