Shloka 12

नरकासुरवधः, अदीतिकुण्डल-प्रत्यर्पणम्, तथा भारावतरण-लीला

Devanagari script

दुर्नीतम् एतद् गोविन्द मया तस्य तवोदितम् यद् अत्र प्रतिकर्तव्यं तत् स्वयं परिमृश्यताम्

Transliteration

durnītam etad govinda mayā tasya tavoditam yad atra pratikartavyaṃ tat svayaṃ parimṛśyatām

Translation

O Govinda, what I spoke to him on Your behalf was ill-judged. In this matter, what should be done—may You Yourself reflect and decide.

Word by Word

• दुर्नीतम्: wrongly done
• दुर्नीतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्-नीत (प्रातिपदिक; दुर् + नीत, √नी (धातु) क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (badly done/ill-conducted)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• गोविन्द: O Govinda
• गोविन्द: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग (सर्वनाम), तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• तस्य: of him/that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तव: of you
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग (सर्वनाम), षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• उदितम्: said/spoken
• उदितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदित (प्रातिपदिक; √उद् (धातु) क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (spoken/said)

• यत्: which/that
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• प्रतिकर्तव्यम्: to be done in return
• प्रतिकर्तव्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रति-कर्तव्य (प्रातिपदिक; √कृ (धातु) तव्यत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive: to be done)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• स्वयम्: yourself
• स्वयम्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मवाचक (reflexive adverb: oneself)

• परिमृश्यताम्: let (it) be considered
• परिमृश्यताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-√मृश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; विधिलिङ्गार्थे आज्ञा/अनुज्ञा (let it be considered)

Speaker

A courtly intermediary/ministerial speaker addressing Govinda (Vishnu/Krishna) within the narrative frame related by Sage Parāśara to Maitreya

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa proceeds to confront Naraka (Bhaumāsura) at Prāgjyotiṣa and restore the stolen divine treasures and order.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Protection of devas and rightful ownership of divine wealth; restraint of asuric tyranny

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When counsel proves misguided, one should admit error and defer to wiser discernment for the right course of action.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Own mistakes promptly, reduce ego in decision-making, and seek the most dharmic option through calm reflection.

Vishishtadvaita: Deference to Bhagavān’s will underscores the Lord as the supreme knower and guide, while devotees act as dependent instruments (śeṣa) of Him.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Govinda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of seeking Govinda’s decision in the Vishnu Purana?

It frames Vishnu (Govinda) as the final authority for dharma: when human counsel fails, right action is aligned by surrendering the decision to the divine sovereign.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of nīti (statecraft) through this verse?

Through the narrative he shows that nīti is not mere strategy—speech and advice must be ethically grounded, and errors must be acknowledged and corrected through discernment.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is invoked as Govinda, the sustaining Lord whose insight restores order; the verse highlights dependence on the Supreme Reality to determine the dharmic course.