Shloka 17

नरकासुरवधः, अदीतिकुण्डल-प्रत्यर्पणम्, तथा भारावतरण-लीला

Devanagari script

तांश् चिच्छेद हरिः पाशान् क्षिप्त्वा चक्रं सुदर्शनम् ततो मुरुः समुत्तस्थौ तं जघान च केशवः

Transliteration

tāṃś ciccheda hariḥ pāśān kṣiptvā cakraṃ sudarśanam tato muruḥ samuttasthau taṃ jaghāna ca keśavaḥ

Translation

Then Hari hurled the Sudarśana discus and severed those nooses. Muru rose again, but Keśava struck him down.

Word by Word

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• चिच्छेद: cut (to pieces)
• चिच्छेद: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पाशान्: nooses/bonds
• पाशान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• क्षिप्त्वा: having hurled
• क्षिप्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), ‘क्षिप्’ धातोः

• चक्रम्: discus
• चक्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुदर्शनम्: (the) Sudarshana (beautiful-to-see)
• सुदर्शनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु-दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (सु + दर्शन)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal locus/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—काल/क्रमवाचक (then/thereupon)

• मुरुः: Muru
• मुरुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समुत्तस्थौ: rose up
• समुत्तस्थौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; उपसर्गः—सम्+उत्

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• जघान: struck/killed
• जघान: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• केशवः: Keshava (Krishna/Vishnu)
• केशवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating) to Maitreya

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Śrī Kṛṣṇa destroys the asura Muru and breaks his lethal nooses to protect the gods and restore dharmic order.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Loka-rakṣaṇa: removal of asuric oppression and re-establishment of divine sovereignty

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu/Krishna)
• Muru

FAQs

What is the significance of Sudarśana Chakra in the Vishnu Purana?

In this verse, Sudarśana is the Lord’s irresistible instrument that cuts through pāśa (bonds), symbolizing divine law that dissolves obstruction and restores order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Lord’s victory over Muru here?

Parāśara narrates that even when Muru rises again, Keśava’s decisive strike prevails—showing the Lord’s unfailing supremacy in the unfolding of the story.

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

Vishnu (as Hari/Keśava) is portrayed as the supreme sovereign whose will overcomes all binding forces, reaffirming that dharma is ultimately upheld by the Highest Reality.