Shloka 25

प्रद्युम्न-अपहरणम्, मत्स्य-उद्धारः, मायावती-शिक्षा, शम्बरवधः, रुक्मिणी-पुत्र-संगमः

Devanagari script

एष ते तनयः सुभ्रु हत्वा शम्बरम् आगतः हृतो येनाभवद् बालो भवत्याः सूतिकागृहात्

Transliteration

eṣa te tanayaḥ subhru hatvā śambaram āgataḥ hṛto yenābhavad bālo bhavatyāḥ sūtikāgṛhāt

Translation

O fair-browed lady, this is your own son, returned after slaying Śambara. He is the child once stolen from your lying-in chamber; now, by destiny and by his own valor, he stands before you again.

Word by Word

• एषः: this (he)
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तनयः: son
• तनयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुभ्रु: O fair-browed lady
• सुभ्रु: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुभ्रू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• हत्वा: having slain
• हत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Absolutive/Gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया; ‘having killed’

• शम्बरम्: Śambara
• शम्बरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• आगतः: has come/returned
• आगतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘come/arrived’

• हृतः: was abducted/taken
• हृतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘was taken away’

• येन: by whom
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• अभवत्: was/became
• अभवत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• बालः: the child
• बालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भवत्याः: of you (lady)
• भवत्याः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; आदरसूचक सर्वनाम

• सूतिका-गृहात्: from the lying-in chamber
• सूतिका-गृहात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूतिका (प्रातिपदिक) + गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सूतिकायाः गृहं)

Speaker

Narratorial voice (Sage Parāśara recounting the episode to Maitreya; the line itself functions as an identification spoken within the story to the mother)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Krishna’s līlā and the restoration of Pradyumna after his abduction by Śambara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: As Bhagavān, Krishna’s līlā restores dharma by protecting devotees and removing asuric threats such as Śambara through those aligned with him.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Protection of the Yādava household and the sanctity of family order against asuric violation

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Vyuha Form: Pradyumna

Characters & Entities

• Śambara
• Pradyumna (implied as the son)
• Rukmiṇī (implied as the mother)

FAQs

What is the significance of Śambara’s death in the Vishnu Purana?

It marks the defeat of a demonic force that disrupted dharma by abducting an infant; the slaying restores moral order and reunites the rightful lineage.

How does Sage Parāśara present the idea of restoration in this episode?

Through the recognition of the stolen child returning victorious, Parāśara frames events as dharma reasserting itself—loss is reversed and rightful bonds are re-established.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu in this context?

Vishnu’s sovereignty is shown through his divine lineage: even when adharma temporarily prevails, the Lord’s purpose manifests in the ultimate protection of devotees and the rebalancing of cosmic order.