Shloka 22

नरकासुरवधः, अदीतिकुण्डल-प्रत्यर्पणम्, तथा भारावतरण-लीला

Devanagari script

हते तु नरके भूमिर् गृहीत्वादितिकुण्डले उपतस्थे जगन्नाथं वाक्यं चेदम् अथाब्रवीत्

Transliteration

hate tu narake bhūmir gṛhītvāditikuṇḍale upatasthe jagannāthaṃ vākyaṃ cedam athābravīt

Translation

When Naraka had been slain, Bhūmi, the Earth-goddess, taking up Aditi’s earrings, approached Jagannātha, the Lord of the universe; and standing before Him, she spoke these words.

Word by Word

• हते: when (he was) slain
• हते: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे लोकेटिव-एकवचन (सप्तमी) — Locative singular; अर्थः ‘हत/निहत’

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात/पक्षान्तरे (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• नरके: in Naraka (the demon)
• नरके: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Locative singular

• भूमिः: Earth (Bhūmi)
• भूमिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nominative singular

• गृहीत्वा: having taken
• गृहीत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘गृहीत्वा’ — having taken

• अदितिकुण्डले: Aditi’s two earrings
• अदितिकुण्डले: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदिति (प्रातिपदिक) + कुण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘अदितेः कुण्डले’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन — Accusative dual

• उपतस्थे: approached/attended
• उपतस्थे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद — ‘he/she approached/attended’

• जगन्नाथम्: the Lord of the world
• जगन्नाथम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘जगतः नाथः’); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Accusative singular

• वाक्यम्: a statement/words
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Accusative singular

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

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshya (Apposition/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Accusative singular

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भ (adverb: ‘then/thereupon’)

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद — ‘said/spoke’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya); within the scene, Bhūmi is about to speak to Lord Vishnu (Jagannātha).

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He descends to protect the world by removing tyrannical forces such as Naraka who oppress earth and devas.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Relief of Earth’s oppression and restoration of divine order through the return of Aditi’s ornaments.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Lakshmi Presence: Bhumi

Characters & Entities

• Bhūmi (Earth-goddess)
• Naraka
• Aditi
• Jagannātha (Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the significance of Aditi’s earrings (Aditi-kuṇḍala) in this Vishnu Purana passage?

They function as a sacred token of restitution: after Naraka’s defeat, the stolen divine ornaments are recovered and brought back under the Lord’s authority, symbolizing restoration of rightful cosmic order.

How does Sage Parāśara structure the narrative here?

Parāśara narrates a transition moment: Naraka’s fall is followed immediately by Bhūmi’s reverential approach to Jagannātha, setting up the next speech-act (request/boon/acknowledgment) in the dialogue-driven Purāṇic style.

What is the theological importance of calling Vishnu ‘Jagannātha’ in this context?

‘Jagannātha’ highlights Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty: he is not merely a victorious hero but the cosmic Lord who receives offerings, resolves disorder, and re-establishes dharma after the defeat of adharma.