Shloka 15

बलरामस्य वारुणी-प्रसङ्गः, यमुनाकर्षणम्, लक्ष्मी-प्रदत्त-विभूषणम्, रेवती-विवाहः

Devanagari script

ततः स्नातस्य वै कान्तिर् आजगाम महात्मनः अवतंसोत्पलं चारु गृहीत्वैकं च कुण्डलम्

Transliteration

tataḥ snātasya vai kāntir ājagāma mahātmanaḥ avataṃsotpalaṃ cāru gṛhītvaikaṃ ca kuṇḍalam

Translation

Then, when the great-souled one had bathed, a radiant splendor came upon him. Taking a lovely lotus as an ornament and also a single earring, he became adorned with auspicious brilliance.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्/अनन्तरम् (from then/thereafter)

• स्नातस्य: of the bathed one
• स्नातस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त/भूतकर्मणि), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; ‘of (him) who has bathed’

• वै: indeed
• वै: Particle (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक/पादपूरण (emphatic particle)

• कान्तिः: splendor, radiance
• कान्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• आजगाम: came, returned
• आजगाम: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled one
• महात्मनः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; समास: महान् आत्मा यस्य (great-souled)

• अवतंसोत्पलम्: a lotus as an ear-ornament
• अवतंसोत्पलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवतंस + उत्पल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समास: अवतंसे उत्पलम् (a lotus for the ear-ornament)

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• चारु: beautiful
• चारु: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चारु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying अवतंसोत्पलम्)

• गृहीत्वा: having taken
• गृहीत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having taken’

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying कुण्डलम्)

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• कुण्डलम्: earring
• कुण्डलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Balarāma bathes and shines with renewed splendor, displaying auspiciousness that follows divine acts of protection and order-restoration.

Leela: Bala

Dharma Restored: Auspicious equilibrium after the subduing of disorder; re-establishment of śrī (prosperity) as a sign of divine favor.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Contact with sacred waters and remembrance of the Lord’s līlā culminate in inner and outer ‘kānti’—an auspicious transformation reflecting divine grace.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Integrate purity and beauty into practice: regular tīrtha-like disciplines (cleanliness, mantra, sāttvika habits) can make one’s life ‘radiant’ with steadiness and goodwill.

Vishishtadvaita: Śrī (Lakṣmī) is inseparable from the Lord’s auspicious manifestation; divine beauty and fortune are not illusory but real attributes expressing His gracious presence in the world.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Vyuha Form: Sankarshana

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Mahātmā (unnamed noble figure)

FAQs

What is the significance of bathing (snāna) in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The verse links snāna with the arising of kānti (radiance), presenting purification as both outer and inner preparation for auspicious change within a dharmic, divinely governed order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the appearance of splendor in such narratives?

Parāśara typically narrates worldly events—beauty, fortune, kingship—as effects unfolding within dharma and the larger sovereignty of the Supreme, even when Vishnu is not named explicitly in the line.

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

Even in genealogical or courtly scenes, the Purana’s underlying theology frames prosperity, auspicious marks, and rightful eminence as ultimately sustained by Vishnu as the supreme regulator of cosmic and moral order.