Shloka 7

नरकासुरवधः, अदीतिकुण्डल-प्रत्यर्पणम्, तथा भारावतरण-लीला

Devanagari script

सो ऽहं साम्प्रतम् आयातो यन्निमित्तं जनार्दन तच् छ्रुत्वा तत्प्रतीकारप्रयत्नं कर्तुम् अर्हसि

Transliteration

so 'haṃ sāmpratam āyāto yannimittaṃ janārdana tac chrutvā tatpratīkāraprayatnaṃ kartum arhasi

Translation

O Janārdana, for that very cause which has compelled me, I have now come to You. Having heard it, You should undertake the effort that will serve as its remedy.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उभयलिङ्ग-प्रयोग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• साम्प्रतम्: now, at present
• साम्प्रतम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साम्प्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• आयातः: (has) come
• आयातः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘आगतः’ अर्थे

• यत्: which
• यत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• निमित्तम्: reason, cause
• निमित्तम्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निमित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• जनार्दन: O Janārdana
• जनार्दन: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• तत्प्रतीकारप्रयत्नम्: effort for remedy against that
• तत्प्रतीकारप्रयत्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + प्रतीकार (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘तस्य प्रतीकारस्य प्रयत्नः’)

• कर्तुम्: to do, to undertake
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तुमुन् (प्रत्यय)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive); क्रियार्थक

• अर्हसि: you should, you are fit to
• अर्हसि: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified devotee/supplicant addressing Lord Vishnu (Janardana) within the narrative flow of Adhyaya 29

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa is petitioned to act as Viṣṇu’s earthly protector by removing the specific adharma that has arisen and restoring safety for beings.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Protection of beings and the re-establishment of righteous sovereignty under Viṣṇu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When adharma afflicts the world, the Lord’s protector-aspect is invoked and decisive remedial action is enjoined.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Respond to injustice with timely, dharma-aligned effort rather than passivity; seek guidance from higher principles before acting.

Vishishtadvaita: The personal Lord is accessible to petition and acts in history while remaining supreme, showing transcendence with compassionate immanence.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the significance of approaching Janardana in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames Vishnu (Janārdana) as the immediate refuge: one approaches him with the cause of suffering, trusting that hearing it leads to a divinely guided remedy.

How does the Purana present the process of remedying distress (pratīkāra) here?

The verse links śravaṇa (the Lord hearing the matter) with pratīkāra-prayatna (the undertaking of a corrective effort), highlighting Vishnu’s sovereign capacity to restore order when appealed to.

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

Vishnu is addressed as Janārdana—the compassionate Supreme who is competent to counteract adversity, reinforcing Vaishnava theology of divine guardianship over beings and dharma.