Shloka 4

रुक्मिणी-हरणम्, विरोधि-राजगणः, रुक्मी-प्रतिज्ञा-पराजयः, प्रद्युम्न-जन्म

Devanagari script

विवाहार्थं ततः सर्वे जरासंधमुखा नृपाः भीष्मकस्य पुरीं जग्मुः शिशुपालप्रियैषिणः

Transliteration

vivāhārthaṃ tataḥ sarve jarāsaṃdhamukhā nṛpāḥ bhīṣmakasya purīṃ jagmuḥ śiśupālapriyaiṣiṇaḥ

Translation

Then, intent upon the wedding, all those kings—led by Jarāsandha—went to Bhīṣmaka’s city, seeking to secure what was dear to Śiśupāla and to fulfill his desire.

Word by Word

• विवाहार्थम्: for the wedding
• विवाहार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवाह + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य), एकवचन; ‘अर्थम्’ = हेतु/प्रयोजन

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Desha-Kala (Adverbial/देश-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• जरासंधमुखाः: having Jarāsandha as leader
• जरासंधमुखाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जरासंध + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘जरासंधः मुखं येषाम्’ = whose leader is Jarāsandha; विशेषण (नृपाः इति)

• नृपाः: kings
• नृपाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), बहुवचन

• भीष्मकस्य: of Bhīṣmaka
• भीष्मकस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• पुरीम्: city
• पुरीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• जग्मुः: went
• जग्मुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• शिशुपालप्रियैषिणः: seeking what is dear to Śiśupāla; seeking Śiśupāla’s advantage
• शिशुपालप्रियैषिणः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिशुपाल + प्रिय + एषिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘एषिन्’ = इच्छुक/अन्वेषी; विशेषण (नृपाः इति)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Dynasty & Genealogy

Key Kings: Jarāsandha, Bhīṣmaka, Śiśupāla

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Characters & Entities

• Jarāsandha
• Bhīṣmaka
• Śiśupāla
• Kings (nṛpāḥ)

FAQs

What is the significance of Jarāsandha leading the kings in this Vishnu Purana verse?

It signals a consolidated political bloc under Jarāsandha’s dominance, showing how royal power gathers around alliance-making—especially marriage—setting the stage for conflict with the divine plan centered on Krishna.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of marriage alliances in the dynastic sections of the Vishnu Purana?

Through narrative episodes like this, Parāśara frames marriage as a public, political act that binds kingdoms and precipitates dharmic crises—within which Vishnu’s higher purpose quietly governs outcomes.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu in this context of kings seeking Śiśupāla’s desire?

Even when the verse describes human ambition and coalition politics, the Purana’s underlying stance is that worldly sovereignty is subordinate to Vishnu’s supreme ordering power, which redirects events toward dharma.