Shloka 18

वंशवर्णनम्, अनिरुद्धविवाहः, तथा बलराम-रुक्मी द्यूतविवादः

Devanagari script

ततः कोपपरीतात्मा निष्ककोटिं हलायुधः ग्लहं जग्राह रुक्मी च तदर्थे ऽक्षान् अपातयत्

Transliteration

tataḥ kopaparītātmā niṣkakoṭiṃ halāyudhaḥ glahaṃ jagrāha rukmī ca tadarthe 'kṣān apātayat

Translation

Then Halāyudha (Balarāma), his mind engulfed by anger, staked a wager worth a koti of niṣkas; and for that very wager Rukmī cast the dice.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण)

• कोपपरीतात्मा: with mind overcome by anger
• कोपपरीतात्मा: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोप + परीत + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः = 'whose self is enveloped by anger' (कोपेन परीतः आत्मा यस्य)

• निष्ककोटिम्: a crore of niṣkas
• निष्ककोटिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निष्क + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः = 'a crore of niṣkas (gold coins)'

• हलायुधः: Halāyudha (Baladeva)
• हलायुधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हल + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः

• ग्लहम्: wager, stake
• ग्लहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्लह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• जग्राह: took up, accepted
• जग्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• रुक्मी: Rukmī
• रुक्मी: Karta (Co-subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुक्मिन्/रुक्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• तदर्थे: for that purpose/stake
• तदर्थे: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; सप्तमी-आधारितः = 'for that purpose/for that stake'

• अक्षान्: dice
• अक्षान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• अपातयत्: threw/rolled down
• अपातयत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + पत् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense in context = 'caused to fall/rolled'

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To stage dharma-restoring outcomes through the actions of Balarāma, exposing the peril of pride and unfair play.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Nyāya (fairness) and satya in contest; restraint against adharma in assemblies

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When anger governs the mind, even play becomes a battlefield, and wealth-stakes become instruments of ego.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Notice anger’s onset; pause before high-stakes decisions that convert rivalry into harm.

Vishishtadvaita: Mind (antaḥkaraṇa) under krodha loses alignment with dharma; devotion entails inner governance under the Lord’s order.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Characters & Entities

• Balarama (Halayudha)
• Rukmi
• Dice (Aksha)
• Nishka (gold currency/ornament)

FAQs

What is the significance of the dice-wager in this Vishnu Purana episode?

The wager frames a clash of royal pride and legitimacy: the act of staking immense wealth becomes a narrative trigger for exposing arrogance and asserting rightful sovereignty through Balarama’s authority.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the emotional force driving the event?

By stating that Balarama is “overcome by anger” (kopaparītātmā), Parāśara highlights the immediate human impulse within a larger dharmic narrative—where passion precipitates decisive, world-ordering consequences.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu’s order in this context if Vishnu is not named in the verse?

In Ansha 5, Krishna and his kin operate within Vishnu’s providential order; even seemingly secular acts like gambling become instruments through which adharma (pride and insult) is checked and rightful rule is reaffirmed.