Shloka 30

नरकासुरवधः, अदीतिकुण्डल-प्रत्यर्पणम्, तथा भारावतरण-लीला

Devanagari script

तथेति चोक्त्वा धरणीं भगवान् भूतभावनः रत्नानि नरकावासाज् जग्राह मुनिसत्तम

Transliteration

tatheti coktvā dharaṇīṃ bhagavān bhūtabhāvanaḥ ratnāni narakāvāsāj jagrāha munisattama

Translation

“So be it,” said the Blessed Lord, the nurturer of all beings; then, O best of sages, addressing the Earth, he retrieved the precious treasures from Naraka’s abode.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: thus/so)

• इति: thus (saying)
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्ति-बोधक (quotative particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उक्त्वा (कृदन्त; √वच् धातु, त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive: having said)

• धरणीं: the earth
• धरणीं: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Feminine accusative singular)

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

• भूतभावनः: nourisher/creator of beings
• भूतभावनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत-भावन (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Masculine nominative singular epithet)

• रत्नानि: jewels
• रत्नानि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Neuter accusative plural)

• नरकावासात्: from Naraka's dwelling
• नरकावासात्: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक-आवास (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (Ablative singular)

• जग्राह: took/seized
• जग्राह: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd person singular)

• मुनिसत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनिसत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि-सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Vocative singular)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Narration of Krishna’s actions after granting forgiveness, including addressing Earth and retrieving Naraka’s treasures.

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To restore what was seized by Naraka and reassure Bhū-devī, retrieving the treasures from the asura’s abode for the welfare of the world.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Restitution of stolen wealth and re-establishment of rightful sovereignty and protection of Earth.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Divine protection includes not only destroying adharma but also restoring what was wrongly taken, reaffirming dharma through restitution.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Pair resistance to wrongdoing with concrete repair—return what is taken, restore dignity and resources to those harmed.

Vishishtadvaita: Shows the Lord’s governance of the world as compassionate ruler: transcendent yet engaged in rectifying the condition of his dependent realm (prakṛti and jīvas).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Vasudeva

Lakshmi Presence: Bhumi

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavan (Vishnu)
• Dharani (Earth)
• Naraka

FAQs

What is the significance of recovering ‘ratnas’ (treasures) in the Vishnu Purana?

It symbolizes the re-establishment of rightful order: what is lost to chaos or unrighteous realms is reclaimed by Bhagavan to restore dharma and stability in the world.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Vishnu’s role as ‘Bhūtabhāvana’ here?

By showing Vishnu acting as the active sustainer of creation—speaking with authority, intervening in cosmic affairs, and ensuring that Earth and her resources are protected and properly re-ordered.

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

Vishnu appears as the sovereign Supreme who not only creates and supports beings but also corrects disorder—his action is both compassionate preservation and decisive governance of the cosmos.