Shloka 7

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

Devanagari script

म्लेच्छकोटिसहस्राणां सहस्रैः सो ऽभिसंवृतः गजाश्वरथसंपन्नैश् चकार परमोद्यमम्

Transliteration

mlecchakoṭisahasrāṇāṃ sahasraiḥ so 'bhisaṃvṛtaḥ gajāśvarathasaṃpannaiś cakāra paramodyamam

Translation

Though hemmed in by thousands upon thousands of mleccha hosts, furnished with elephants, horses, and chariots, he still set forth a supreme and unrelenting effort for battle.

Word by Word

• म्लेच्छ: of the Mlecchas
• म्लेच्छ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: म्लेच्छ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• कोटि: of crores
• कोटि: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• सहस्राणाम्: of thousands
• सहस्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• सहस्रैः: by thousands
• सहस्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

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

• अभिसंवृतः: surrounded, enclosed
• अभिसंवृतः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-सम्-√वृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• गज: with elephants
• गज: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• अश्व: with horses
• अश्व: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• रथ: with chariots
• रथ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• संपन्नैः: equipped, furnished
• संपन्नैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-√पद् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• चकार: did, undertook
• चकार: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• परम: great, utmost
• परम: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (उद्यमम् इति विशेषण)

• उद्यमम्: effort, enterprise
• उद्यमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To protect the Yādavas and re-establish dharma by neutralizing hostile kings and foreign mleccha forces threatening Mathurā.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Protection of the Yadu clan and the stability of righteous rule around Mathurā

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Characters & Entities

• Mlecchas

FAQs

What is the significance of mlecchas in this Vishnu Purana verse?

Here, “mleccha” functions as a narrative category for large non-Vedic or outsider forces, emphasizing the scale of opposition faced by the king/hero and the political instability that dharmic rule must confront.

How does Sage Parāśara explain royal duty in such battle contexts?

In the dynastic books, Parāśara presents kingship as sustained by courage and discipline: even when surrounded by vast armies, the ruler is shown undertaking “parama udyama” (utmost effort), reflecting kṣatriya-dharma.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Vishnu Purana frames historical struggle within a Vishnu-ordered cosmos: the rise and fall of powers, and the endurance of dharma through rulers, ultimately rests under the Supreme Lord’s sovereignty.