Shloka 53

स्वर्गगमनम्, अदितिस्तुतिः-मायातत्त्वम्, तथा पारिजात-प्रसङ्गे इन्द्रयुद्धम्

Devanagari script

ततो निरीक्ष्य गोविन्दो नागराजोपरि स्थितम् शक्रं देवपरीवारं युद्धाय समुपस्थितम्

Transliteration

tato nirīkṣya govindo nāgarājopari sthitam śakraṃ devaparīvāraṃ yuddhāya samupasthitam

Translation

Then Govinda beheld Śakra (Indra), seated upon the king of serpents, surrounded by the hosts of gods, who had come forth ready for battle.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable adverb: 'then/thereafter'

• निरीक्ष्य: having observed
• निरीक्ष्य: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपदी; 'having looked/observed'

• गोविन्दः: Govinda (Vishnu)
• गोविन्दः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• नागराज-उपरि: upon the serpent-king
• नागराज-उपरि: Adhikarana (Locative sense/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नागराज (प्रातिपदिक) + उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: उपरि = अव्यय (संबन्ध/स्थानवाचक) with preceding genitive-sense compound member; 'upon/above the king of serpents'

• स्थितम्: standing, stationed
• स्थितम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; qualifies शक्रम्

• शक्रम्: Indra (Śakra)
• शक्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• देवपरीवारम्: with the retinue of gods
• देवपरीवारम्: Karma (Object apposition/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + परीवार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (देवानां परीवारः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; apposition to शक्रम्

• युद्धाय: for battle
• युद्धाय: Sampradana (Purpose/Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजन (purpose)

• समुपस्थितम्: assembled, present
• समुपस्थितम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उप-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; qualifies शक्रम्/परीवारम्: 'having come/assembled'

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Krishna confronts Indra and the devas to protect Vraja and uphold the supremacy of devotion over prideful celestial authority.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Protection of the devotees and the right ordering where devas are not supreme over Bhagavan

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Characters & Entities

• Govinda (Krishna)
• Shakra (Indra)
• Devas
• Nagaraja (king of serpents)

FAQs

What is the significance of Indra approaching for battle in the Vishnu Purana?

It dramatizes the tension between delegated divine authority (Indra’s office) and the Supreme sovereignty of Govinda, showing that even the devas must ultimately yield to Vishnu’s will.

How does Sage Parāśara frame this event in the dialogue with Maitreya?

Parāśara narrates it as a decisive moment in Krishna’s līlā where the gods, though powerful, appear as an entourage confronting the Lord, highlighting the hierarchy of cosmic governance.

What is the theological importance of Govinda in this verse?

Govinda is portrayed as the central, unshaken divine reality who simply ‘beholds’ the assembled gods—implying His supremacy over Indra and the celestial order.