Shloka 18

Devanagari script

हत्वा सैन्यम् अशेषं तु तस्य दैत्यस्य माधविः सप्तमाया व्यतिक्रम्य मायां संयुयुजे ऽष्टमीम्

Transliteration

hatvā sainyam aśeṣaṃ tu tasya daityasya mādhaviḥ saptamāyā vyatikramya māyāṃ saṃyuyuje 'ṣṭamīm

Translation

Having utterly destroyed the entire army of that Daitya, Mādhava—surpassing even the seventh māyā—then employed the eighth māyā.

Word by Word

• हत्वा: having slain
• हत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• सैन्यम्: army
• सैन्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• अशेषम्: entire, without remainder
• अशेषम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• तु: then, but
• तु: Sambandha (discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वय-अव्यय (particle)

• तस्य: of that (one), his
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• दैत्यस्य: of the demon
• दैत्यस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• माधविः: Mādhava (Pradyumna)
• माधविः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; नाम/उपाधि (epithet)

• सप्तमायाः: of the seventh illusion
• सप्तमायाः: Sambandha (Source/sequence reference/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त + माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; 'सप्तमी माया' इति कर्मधारय

• व्यतिक्रम्य: having passed beyond, having overcome
• व्यतिक्रम्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-अति-क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• मायाम्: illusion, magical power
• मायाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• संयुयुजे: employed, yoked, applied
• संयुयुजे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-युज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• अष्टमीम्: the eighth
• अष्टमीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating) to Maitreya

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Vishnu’s power manifests through Pradyumna to overcome demonic forces, including their māyā, thereby protecting the divine order.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Supremacy of divine śakti over asuric illusion; re-establishing rightful protection for the Yadus.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Māyā—especially as deceptive power—can be transcended by higher divine knowledge and authority, revealing the limits of asuric illusion.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Discern and resist manipulative appearances; cultivate clarity through śāstra, sādhana, and devotion to the Lord who dispels delusion.

Vishishtadvaita: Māyā is not ultimate; it is subordinate to Bhagavān’s śakti—affirming a real world ordered by the Lord, not an independent illusion.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Vyuha Form: Pradyumna

Characters & Entities

• Mādhava (Vishnu/Krishna)
• Daitya (asura)
• Daitya’s army

FAQs

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

Here māyā is not mere illusion but the Lord’s sovereign power—His divinely governed capacity to outmaneuver adharma and establish order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine victory in such battles?

Parāśara frames victory as arising from Vishnu’s supremacy: the Lord can transcend successive measures (even a “seventh” māyā) and deploy a higher, decisive power to end the conflict.

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

Mādhava is presented as the Supreme Governor whose will and power (māyā) subdue demonic forces, reaffirming Vishnu’s role as protector of dharma and cosmic stability.