Shloka 4

वंशवर्णनम्, अनिरुद्धविवाहः, तथा बलराम-रुक्मी द्यूतविवादः

Devanagari script

देवी जाम्बवती चापि रोहिणी कामरूपिणी मद्रराजसुता चान्या सुशीला शीलमण्डना

Transliteration

devī jāmbavatī cāpi rohiṇī kāmarūpiṇī madrarājasutā cānyā suśīlā śīlamaṇḍanā

Translation

There was also Devi Jāmbavatī; and Rohiṇī, who could assume forms at will. Another was Suśīlā, daughter of the king of Madra—an ornament of noble conduct and virtue.

Word by Word

• देवी: the goddess (Devi)
• देवी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• जाम्बवती: Jāmbavatī
• जाम्बवती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाम्बवती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• रोहिणी: Rohiṇī
• रोहिणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोहिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कामरूपिणी: able to assume desired forms
• कामरूपिणी: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम-रूपिणी (प्रातिपदिक; काम + रूपिणी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• मद्रराजसुता: daughter of the king of Madra
• मद्रराजसुता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद्र-राज-सुता (प्रातिपदिक; मद्र + राज + सुता)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अन्या: another (woman)
• अन्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सुशीला: good-natured, virtuous
• सुशीला: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-शील (प्रातिपदिक; सु + शील)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• शीलमण्डना: ornamented by good conduct
• शीलमण्डना: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शील-मण्डना (प्रातिपदिक; शील + मण्डना)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To lighten the earth’s burden by removing oppressive rulers and to re-establish dharma through divine kingship and līlā.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Stability of righteous rule and social order through Kṛṣṇa’s household and alliances.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Vamsha: Chandra

Dharma Exemplar: Śīla (noble conduct)

Key Kings: Jāmbavatī, Rohiṇī, Suśīlā, Madra-rāja

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Madhurya

Characters & Entities

• Jāmbavatī
• Rohiṇī
• Madra (kingdom)
• Suśīlā

FAQs

What is the significance of listing Krishna’s wives in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse participates in the Purāṇic cataloguing of Krishna’s household, linking his līlā to historical-geographical lineages and dharmic royal alliances within the broader Yādava narrative.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of dynasties and alliances here?

By naming queens and their origins (such as the Madra king’s daughter), Parāśara situates the divine narrative within human polity and genealogy, showing how sovereignty and dharma operate through recognized lineages.

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

Even in domestic and genealogical details, Krishna’s presence is portrayed as the Supreme Lord’s ordered līlā—integrating virtue (śīla), rightful rule, and the maintenance of dharma within the world.