Shloka 17

Hari’s Boon to Muchukunda, Security of the Yādus, and Balarāma’s Consolation in Vraja

Viraha-Bhakti

Devanagari script

तथापि कच्चिद् आलापम् इहागमनसंश्रयम् करोति कृष्णो वक्तव्यं भवता राम नानृतम्

Transliteration

tathāpi kaccid ālāpam ihāgamanasaṃśrayam karoti kṛṣṇo vaktavyaṃ bhavatā rāma nānṛtam

Translation

Even so, does Kṛṣṇa utter any word that hints at coming here? Tell me, O Rāma—what you say must be truth, not falsehood.

Word by Word

• तथापि: nevertheless, even so
• तथापि: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय) + अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; संयोजक/उपपद (conjunctive particle): 'even so/however'

• कच्चित्: whether, I hope (that)
• कच्चित्: Sambandha (Interrogative particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक निपात (interrogative particle)

• आलापम्: speech, conversation
• आलापम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आलाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• आगमन: coming, arrival
• आगमन: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: आगमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; (समासाङ्ग) प्रातिपदिक

• संश्रयम्: dependence, resort
• संश्रयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (समासान्त पद)

• इहागमनसंश्रयम्: dependence on coming here
• इहागमनसंश्रयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इह (अव्यय) + आगमन (प्रातिपदिक) + संश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषभावः: 'इह-आगमनस्य संश्रयः' (dependence on coming here)

• करोति: does, makes
• करोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• कृष्णः: Krishna
• कृष्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• वक्तव्यम्: to be said, should be spoken
• वक्तव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation predicate/भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृत्य (gerundive); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative): 'to be said'

• भवता: by you
• भवता: Karana (Instrument/Agent-instrumental/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; आदरार्थ-प्रयोग (honorific 'by you')

• राम: O Rama
• राम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• अनृतम्: falsehood, untruth
• अनृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नानृतम्: not false (i.e., truth)
• नानृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न (अव्यय) + अनृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; न-समास/नञ्-भावः: 'not untruth' (= truth)

Speaker

A Yadava elder/noble addressing Balarama (Rama) about Krishna (narrative voice relayed by Sage Parashara to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To lighten the earth’s burden by destroying oppressive forces and to bestow loving devotion through his Vraja-līlā.

Leela: Madhurya

Dharma Restored: Prema-bhakti as the highest dharma of the Vraja-devotees, sustained through separation (viraha).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: In the anguish of separation, devotees cling to satya (truthful speech) as the only reliable support for hope in the Lord’s return.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: When distressed, seek counsel grounded in honesty and remember the divine through truthful, steady inquiry rather than rumor or projection.

Vishishtadvaita: Devotional relationship (śeṣa–śeṣi-bhāva) persists even in viraha: the jīva depends on the Lord and on truthful testimony about him.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Madhurya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Balarama (Rama)

FAQs

What is the significance of asking whether Krishna will come ‘here’ in the Vishnu Purana?

It highlights how Krishna’s movements are treated as decisive for the protection and order of the Yadavas, reflecting divine sovereignty operating through seemingly human decisions.

How does the Vishnu Purana frame truthful speech (satya) in dialogue scenes like this?

The verse explicitly demands non-falsehood from Rama (Balarama), showing that dharmic truthfulness is a moral anchor even amid political uncertainty and impending conflict.

What is the theological importance of Krishna in this context?

Krishna is not merely a heroic figure but the guiding Supreme Principle whose intent and presence determine the course of events, aligning narrative action with Vaishnava metaphysics.