Shloka 13

नरकासुरवधः, अदीतिकुण्डल-प्रत्यर्पणम्, तथा भारावतरण-लीला

Devanagari script

इति श्रुत्वा स्मितं कृत्वा भगवान् देवकीसुतः गृहीत्वा वासवं हस्ते समुत्तस्थौ वरासनात्

Transliteration

iti śrutvā smitaṃ kṛtvā bhagavān devakīsutaḥ gṛhītvā vāsavaṃ haste samuttasthau varāsanāt

Translation

Hearing these words, the Blessed Lord—the son of Devakī—smiled; and taking Vāsava by the hand, He rose from His excellent seat.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक/उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु) क्त्वा-प्रत्यय
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund): पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• स्मितम्: a smile
• स्मितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मित (प्रातिपदिक; √स्मि/स्मय् (धातु) क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु) क्त्वा-प्रत्यय
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund): पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• देवकीसुतः: Devakī's son
• देवकीसुतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवकी + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवक्याः सुतः)

• गृहीत्वा: having seized/taken
• गृहीत्वा: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ग्रह् (धातु) क्त्वा-प्रत्यय
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund)

• वासवम्: Vāsava (Indra)
• वासवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• हस्ते: in (his) hand
• हस्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• समुत्तस्थौ: rose up
• समुत्तस्थौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उत्-√स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वरासनात्: from the excellent seat
• वरासनात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर + आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (वरम् आसनम्)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa reassures and coordinates with Indra as he prepares to set out against Naraka (Bhaumāsura) for the protection of the gods and restoration of order.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Security of Svarga’s sovereignty and the return of what was unrighteously seized

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Bhagavān’s serene smile amid urgency reveals His sovereign freedom and compassionate governance of events.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate steadiness by remembering the Lord’s mastery; respond to crises with calm, dharma-grounded action.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord’s accessible, personal form (saulabhya) coexists with supreme lordship (aiśvarya), a hallmark of Viśiṣṭādvaita devotion.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Krishna (Devakīsuta)
• Indra (Vāsava)

FAQs

What is the significance of Krishna taking Vāsava (Indra) by the hand in the Vishnu Purana?

It depicts Krishna’s supreme status and gracious sovereignty: even the king of the gods is received personally, showing devas function under the Lord’s higher authority.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine hierarchy through this scene?

By narrating Krishna’s calm smile and royal gesture of rising from the seat, Parāśara presents a devotional and theological order where Vishnu/Krishna is the ultimate refuge and ruler, and the devas are subordinate administrators.

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

Krishna is portrayed as Bhagavān—Supreme Reality manifest—whose simple actions communicate mastery, compassion, and the maintenance of cosmic governance beyond Indra’s limited jurisdiction.