Shloka 38

स्वर्गगमनम्, अदितिस्तुतिः-मायातत्त्वम्, तथा पारिजात-प्रसङ्गे इन्द्रयुद्धम्

Devanagari script

भो शची देवराजस्य महिषी तत्परिग्रहम् पारिजातं न गोविन्द हर्तुम् अर्हसि पादपम्

Transliteration

bho śacī devarājasya mahiṣī tatparigraham pārijātaṃ na govinda hartum arhasi pādapam

Translation

O Śacī, queen of Indra, lord of the gods—this Pārijāta tree is Indra’s cherished possession. O Govinda, it is not fitting for you to carry off this celestial plant.

Word by Word

• भो: O!
• भो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भो (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle/interjection)

• शची: Śacī
• शची: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• देवराजस्य: of the king of gods (Indra)
• देवराजस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवराज (प्रातिपदिक: देव + राजन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• महिषी: queen, chief consort
• महिषी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिषी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तत्-परिग्रहम्: her possession/property
• तत्-परिग्रहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + परिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तस्य परिग्रहः)

• पारिजातम्: the Pārijāta (tree)
• पारिजातम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पारिजात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

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

• हर्तुम्: to take away
• हर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (infinitive), कर्तरि प्रयोगः

• अर्हसि: you ought/are fit
• अर्हसि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• पादपम्: tree
• पादपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पादप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Śacī (Indrāṇī), addressing Sri Krishna (Govinda) in Svarga

Cosmological Context

Manvantara: Vaivasvata

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas (Svargaloka/Devaloka)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa asserts divine sovereignty and fulfills Satyabhāmā’s desire by taking the celestial Pārijāta from Indra’s realm.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Supremacy of Bhagavān over the devas; rightful bestowal of divine prosperity (śrī) to his devotees

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Madhurya

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Characters & Entities

• Śacī (Indrāṇī)
• Indra (Devarāja)
• Govinda (Sri Krishna)
• Pārijāta tree

FAQs

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

In this verse it is treated as Indra’s prized celestial property, and the dispute highlights how even heaven’s treasures fall under the higher sovereignty of Govinda (Vishnu/Krishna).

How does the Vishnu Purana frame the authority of Indra in this episode?

Śacī’s appeal assumes Indra’s ownership and heavenly jurisdiction, but the broader narrative positions Indra’s rule as delegated and ultimately subordinate to Vishnu’s supreme order.

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

Govinda is addressed as the one whose actions test and reveal cosmic hierarchy: the Supreme Reality to whom even Devas and their possessions are answerable.