Shloka 56

स्वर्गगमनम्, अदितिस्तुतिः-मायातत्त्वम्, तथा पारिजात-प्रसङ्गे इन्द्रयुद्धम्

Devanagari script

एकैकं शस्त्रम् अस्त्रं च देवैर् मुक्तं सहस्रधा चिच्छेद लीलयैवेशो जगतां मधुसूदनः

Transliteration

ekaikaṃ śastram astraṃ ca devair muktaṃ sahasradhā ciccheda līlayaiveśo jagatāṃ madhusūdanaḥ

Translation

Each weapon and each missile that the gods released, Madhusūdana—the Lord of the worlds—playfully shattered into a thousand pieces, as though it were nothing more than sport to the Supreme.

Word by Word

• एकैकम्: each one, one by one
• एकैकम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्ववत्-समास/पुनरुक्त-समास (one by one); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; qualifies शस्त्रम्/अस्त्रम् (collectively)

• शस्त्रम्: weapon
• शस्त्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अस्त्रम्: missile
• अस्त्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक)

• देवैः: by the gods
• देवैः: Karana (Agent in passive sense/कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• मुक्तम्: released, hurled
• मुक्तम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; qualifies शस्त्रम्/अस्त्रम्: 'released'

• सहस्रधा: into a thousand pieces/ways
• सहस्रधा: Sambandha (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (प्रकार/विभागवाचक adverb) = 'into a thousand parts/ways'

• चिच्छेद: cut, shattered
• चिच्छेद: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदी, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• लीलया: playfully, as a sport
• लीलया: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण)

• ईशः: the Lord
• ईशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• जगताम्: of the worlds
• जगताम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• मधुसूदनः: Madhusūdana (slayer of Madhu)
• मधुसूदनः: Karta (Subject apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक) + सूदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मधुं सूदयति/सूदितवान् इति); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; apposition to ईशः

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Krishna effortlessly neutralizes the gods’ weapons to show that all powers are subordinate to him and to protect the cosmic order from deva-pride.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Supremacy of the Lord and safety of the world under his protection

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: All finite powers dissolve before the Supreme Lord, for he alone is the world’s ruler and ultimate cause, acting without strain.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Cultivate inner steadiness by remembering that apparent threats are limited and that the Supreme can overturn them effortlessly.

Vishishtadvaita: The ‘Lord of worlds’ remains transcendent yet acts within the world in līlā, expressing sovereign causality without losing perfection.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Madhusudana
• Krishna
• Devas (gods)

FAQs

What is the significance of līlā (divine play) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse portrays even warfare as līlā: the Lord’s actions uphold cosmic order effortlessly, revealing supremacy without strain or necessity.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Vishnu’s sovereignty in conflict narratives?

By describing weapons sent even by the gods as being shattered “into a thousand pieces,” Parāśara frames Vishnu/Kṛṣṇa as Jagadīśa—unthreatened, governing events by will alone.

What is the theological importance of calling him “Madhusūdana” here?

The epithet recalls Vishnu’s primordial victory over chaos (the slaying of Madhu) and, in this context, signals that the same Supreme Lord is present in Kṛṣṇa’s historical līlā, maintaining dharma and cosmic stability.