Shloka 16

Kālayavana’s Rise, Dvārakā’s Founding, and Muchukunda’s Awakening (Śaraṇāgati & Brahman-Stuti)

Devanagari script

बहिर् आवसिते सैन्ये मथुराया निरायुधः निर्जगाम स गोविन्दो ददृशे यवनेश्वरम्

Transliteration

bahir āvasite sainye mathurāyā nirāyudhaḥ nirjagāma sa govindo dadṛśe yavaneśvaram

Translation

When the army had encamped outside, Govinda—unarmed—went forth from Mathurā and beheld the Yavana-lord.

Word by Word

• बहिः: outside
• बहिः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘outside’)

• आवसिते: when (it was) encamped
• आवसिते: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ+√वस् (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, ‘सैन्ये’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (encamped/dwelt)

• सैन्ये: in the army/camp
• सैन्ये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी)

• मथुरायाः: of Mathurā
• मथुरायाः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मथुरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी)

• निरायुधः: unarmed
• निरायुधः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा); नञ्/निषेध-तत्पुरुषः (आयुधं न यस्य)

• निर्जगाम: went out
• निर्जगाम: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्+√गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा)

• गोविन्दः: Govinda
• गोविन्दः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा); ‘सः’ इत्यस्य समानाधिकरणम् (apposition)

• ददृशे: saw
• ददृशे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• यवनेश्वरम्: the lord of the Yavanas
• यवनेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यवन (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (यवनानाम् ईश्वरः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To confront the Yavana king directly and neutralize the threat through His sovereign, weaponless mastery.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Reassertion of righteous order by the Lord’s fearless intervention and protection of the vulnerable

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Supreme power can act without dependence on instruments; courage grounded in righteousness does not require outward armament.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: When aligned with dharma, meet challenges directly with clarity and composure rather than reliance on mere external force.

Vishishtadvaita: The transcendent Lord engages the world freely (svātantrya) while remaining untouched by need—yet acts for the sake of devotees.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Characters & Entities

• Govinda (Krishna)
• Mathura
• Yavaneśvara (Yavana king)
• Yavana army

FAQs

What is the significance of Krishna going out unarmed in this Vishnu Purana verse?

It highlights divine sovereignty: Govinda does not rely on external instruments for victory, suggesting that dharma is restored by His will rather than by mere force.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the confrontation with the Yavana king in the dialogue with Maitreya?

Parāśara narrates the event as a purposeful turning point in Krishna’s līlā—an encounter arranged by circumstance and divine intent, where the Lord directly faces the invading ruler.

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

Krishna appears as the Supreme Lord acting within history: His calm, unarmed emergence signals mastery over fate and kings, aligning political outcomes with cosmic order (ṛta/dharma).