Shloka 4

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

Rāja-dharma as Līlā

Devanagari script

निष्क्रम्याल्पपरीवाराव् उभौ रामजनार्दनौ युयुधाते समं तस्य बलिनौ बलिसैनिकैः

Transliteration

niṣkramyālpaparīvārāv ubhau rāmajanārdanau yuyudhāte samaṃ tasya balinau balisainikaiḥ

Translation

Stepping forth with only a small retinue, Rāma and Janārdana together engaged in battle against his powerful forces; mighty themselves, they fought the soldiers of that mighty one.

Word by Word

• निष्क्रम्य: having gone out
• निष्क्रम्य: Kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निष्क्रम्य (कृदन्त; √क्रम् (धातु) निस्-उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• अल्पपरीवारौ: with a small retinue
• अल्पपरीवारौ: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्प + परिवार (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (अल्पः परिवारः यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; (रामजनार्दनौ विशेषणम्)

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• रामजनार्दनौ: Rāma and Janārdana
• रामजनार्दनौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम + जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• युयुधाते: fought
• युयुधाते: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √युध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन, आत्मनेपद

• समम्: equally/together
• समम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) = समानतया

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

• बलिनौ: strong
• बलिनौ: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; (रामजनार्दनौ विशेषणम्)

• बलिसैनिकैः: with the mighty soldiers
• बलिसैनिकैः: Sahakari/Karana (With/Instrument/सह-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि + सैनिक (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (बलिनः सैनिकाः/बलवतां सैनिकाः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (सह/करण), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa, with Balarāma, confronts Jarāsandha’s vast forces with minimal retinue to protect Mathurā and demonstrate divine martial supremacy.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Protection of devotees and preservation of righteous rule against unjust invasion

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When the Lord stands with his own, numerical power loses its terror; dharma is defended by divine strength, not mere force.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Face overwhelming challenges with steadiness and dharmic resolve, anchoring courage in devotion rather than in external resources alone.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhagavān’s personal intervention in the world safeguards his devotees, showing immanence without diminishing transcendence.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Characters & Entities

• Balarama (Rama)
• Krishna (Janardana)
• Army/Soldiers

FAQs

What is the significance of Balarama and Krishna going out with only a small retinue in the Vishnu Purana?

It highlights their sovereign power and fearlessness: they do not rely on numbers but on divine strength and dharmic resolve to confront adharma.

How does Sage Parashara frame this conflict within the larger Vishnu Purana narrative?

Parāśara narrates it as part of the dynastic and Krishna-cycle history, where divine intervention operates within royal affairs to correct imbalance and uphold order.

What is the theological importance of calling Krishna 'Janardana' here?

“Janārdana” signals Krishna as the supreme lord who subdues forces that oppress the world, reinforcing Vaishnava teaching that the Divine governs history to protect dharma.