Shloka 37

स्वर्गगमनम्, अदितिस्तुतिः-मायातत्त्वम्, तथा पारिजात-प्रसङ्गे इन्द्रयुद्धम्

Devanagari script

इत्य् उक्तः स प्रहस्यैनां पारिजातं गरुत्मति आरोपयाम् आस हरिस् तम् ऊचुर् वनरक्षिणः

Transliteration

ity uktaḥ sa prahasyaināṃ pārijātaṃ garutmati āropayām āsa haris tam ūcur vanarakṣiṇaḥ

Translation

Thus addressed, Hari smiled; and having set that Pārijāta tree upon Garuḍa, the guardians of the grove spoke to him.

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

• uktaḥ: having been addressed / spoken to
• uktaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle), क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular)

• prahasya: having laughed
• prahasya: Sambandha (Prior action/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: has (धातु) + lyap (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त; अर्थे—"हसित्वा"

• enām: her
• enām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (singular)

• pārijātam: the Pārijāta (tree)
• pārijātam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārijāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (singular)

• garutmati: on Garuḍa
• garutmati: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garutmat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (singular); गरुत्मन् = गरुडः (Garuda)

• āropayām: (he) caused to be mounted/placed
• āropayām: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-ruh (धातु) + ṇic (णिच्)
• Form: लिट्/लुङ्-प्राय परस्मैपद-रूप (causative aorist/perfect per epic usage); उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (singular) — here used with आसा as periphrastic past: "caused to mount/placed"

• āsa: did/was (aux.)
• āsa: Kriya (Auxiliary/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular); सहायक-क्रिया (auxiliary)

• hariḥ: Hari (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa)
• hariḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular)

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (singular)

• ūcuḥ: said
• ūcuḥ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural)

• vana-rakṣiṇaḥ: the forest-guards
• vana-rakṣiṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक) + rakṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—वनस्य रक्षिणः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (plural)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Krishna protects and honors his devotee/consort by acting decisively, even against celestial opposition, thereby demonstrating Bhagavān’s supremacy over Svarga and its guardians.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Assertion that divine possessions are subordinate to Bhagavān; protection of the devotee’s honor and the Lord’s sovereign freedom (svātantrya).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord’s gentle smile precedes decisive protection, showing that divine play can contain both tenderness and sovereign power.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Hold steadiness: respond to conflict without losing inner composure; act firmly when dharma and rightful duty require it.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhagavān’s sauśīlya (easy accessibility) coexists with aiśvarya (supreme majesty), a hallmark of Viśiṣṭādvaita devotion.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Madhurya

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Sri Krishna/Vishnu)
• Garuḍa
• Pārijāta
• Vana-rakṣiṇas (grove guardians)

FAQs

What is the significance of the Pārijāta tree in the Vishnu Purana?

In this episode, the Pārijāta functions as a symbol of Svarga’s prized abundance; Hari’s taking of it underscores that heavenly opulence is subordinate to Vishnu/Krishna’s supreme will.

How does Sage Parāśara frame Krishna’s action in this verse?

Parāśara presents it as calm and sovereign—Hari simply smiles and has the tree placed on Garuḍa—highlighting divine mastery rather than strained effort.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu (Hari) here?

Hari’s effortless command over celestial possessions and beings (Garuḍa, the grove guardians) reinforces Vaishnava theology that Vishnu/Krishna is the ultimate Lord over both earth and heaven.