Shloka 8

वंशवर्णनम्, अनिरुद्धविवाहः, तथा बलराम-रुक्मी द्यूतविवादः

Devanagari script

तस्यापि रुक्मिणः पौत्रीं वरयाम् आस केशवः दौहित्राय ददौ रुक्मी तां स्पर्धन्न् अपि शौरिणा

Transliteration

tasyāpi rukmiṇaḥ pautrīṃ varayām āsa keśavaḥ dauhitrāya dadau rukmī tāṃ spardhann api śauriṇā

Translation

Keśava too sought in marriage the granddaughter of Rukmī; yet Rukmī—though still nursing rivalry with Śauri—gave her instead to his own daughter’s son, his maternal grandson.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (also)

• रुक्मिणः: of Rukmī
• रुक्मिणः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुक्मिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• पौत्रीम्: granddaughter
• पौत्रीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वरयाम्: (he) sought/asked (to choose)
• वरयाम्: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/benedictive usage), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; (आसा इति सहायकक्रियया periphrastic: ‘asked for in marriage’)

• आस: was (did)
• आस: Kriya (Auxiliary verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; सहायकक्रिया

• केशवः: Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)
• केशवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• दौहित्राय: to (his) daughter's son (grandson)
• दौहित्राय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दौहित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• रुक्मी: Rukmī
• रुक्मी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुक्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• स्पर्धन्: competing, rivaling
• स्पर्धन्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्पर्ध् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; (रुक्मी इति कर्तरि)

• अपि: even though
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-शब्दः (even/although)

• शौरिणा: with Śauri (Kṛṣṇa)
• शौरिणा: Karana (Instrument/Means) / Sahakari (Agent in rivalry)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To enact līlā that resolves rivalries and stabilizes dharmic alliances within the Yādava sphere.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Orderly alliance-making and restraint of feud through legitimate marriage arrangements.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even amid rivalry, adherence to kula-dharma and proper alliance-making can restrain conflict and preserve social order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Prioritize principled duty and long-term harmony over ego-driven rivalry in family and community decisions.

Vishishtadvaita: Human relations and duties are meaningful within the Lord’s līlā-world; dharma becomes a mode of service within the real, God-sustained order.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Vamsha: Chandra

Dharma Exemplar: Kula-dharma (family duty overriding rivalry)

Key Kings: Keśava, Rukmī, Śauri, Aniruddha

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Characters & Entities

• Keśava (Krishna)
• Śauri (Krishna)
• Rukmī
• Rukmiṇī’s lineage (implied)

FAQs

What is the significance of royal marriage alliances in the Vishnu Purana’s dynastic sections?

This verse shows how marriages function as instruments of succession and political alignment, shaping lineage continuity even amid personal rivalries.

How does Sage Parāśara frame conflict and diplomacy in genealogical narration?

Parāśara notes that rivalry (spardhā) can persist, yet public acts like giving a bride are still used to secure one’s preferred line of descent and alliances.

What is the theological importance of Krishna (Keśava/Śauri) in this context?

Krishna appears as the central sovereign presence around whom dynastic decisions pivot—his stature is such that even opponents define their policies in relation to him.