Shloka 11

नरकासुरवधः, अदीतिकुण्डल-प्रत्यर्पणम्, तथा भारावतरण-लीला

Devanagari script

अमृतस्राविणी दिव्ये मन्मातुः कृष्ण कुण्डले जहार सो ऽसुरो ऽदित्या वाञ्छत्य् ऐरावतं गजम्

Transliteration

amṛtasrāviṇī divye manmātuḥ kṛṣṇa kuṇḍale jahāra so 'suro 'dityā vāñchaty airāvataṃ gajam

Translation

O Kṛṣṇa, that Asura carried off my mother’s two divine earrings, distilling amṛta and wondrously dark-hued; and now he even seeks to seize Airāvata, the royal elephant, from Aditi as well.

Word by Word

• अमृतस्राविणी: nectar-dripping
• अमृतस्राविणी: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमृत (प्रातिपदिक) + स्राविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (‘अमृतं स्रवतः’)

• दिव्ये: divine
• दिव्ये: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन

• मत्: my
• मत्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (enclitic stem ‘मत्’)

• मातुः: mother’s
• मातुः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• कृष्ण: O Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्ण: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• कुण्डले: earrings
• कुण्डले: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन

• जहार: stole, carried off
• जहार: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• असुरः: the demon
• असुरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अदित्याः: of Aditi
• अदित्याः: Apadana/Source (Genitive of separation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वाञ्छति: desires
• वाञ्छति: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वाञ्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ऐरावतम्: Airāvata (named)
• ऐरावतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऐरावत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (proper adjective)

• गजम्: elephant
• गजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa is implored to slay Naraka and recover Aditi’s divine earrings and protect Airāvata, thereby safeguarding Indra’s sovereignty and the devas’ order.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Restoration of divine regalia and protection of Svarga’s rightful kingly symbols

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even the devas depend on the Supreme’s protection; the Lord alone restores what is lost to adharma.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate reliance on the divine protector in crises while performing one’s duty; see power and prosperity as entrusted, not owned.

Vishishtadvaita: Hierarchy of dependence (śeṣa-śeṣi): all beings, including devas, are dependent modes of the Lord, who safeguards cosmic order.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Aditi
• Airāvata
• Asura
• Indra (implied)

FAQs

What is the significance of Airāvata in the Vishnu Purana?

Airāvata represents Indra’s sovereign power and the stability of the Devas’ rule; an Asura’s attempt to seize him signals a disruption of cosmic order that must be restored.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Deva–Asura conflict here?

Parāśara frames it as a narrative of unlawful appropriation—Asuras seizing divine emblems—prompting the Devas’ response within the larger providential order ultimately governed by Vishnu.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Purana’s theology treats such upheavals as occurring within Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty, where dharma is re-established through his overarching will and protection.