Shloka 65

स्वर्गगमनम्, अदितिस्तुतिः-मायातत्त्वम्, तथा पारिजात-प्रसङ्गे इन्द्रयुद्धम्

Devanagari script

छिन्नेष्व् अशेषबाणेषु शस्त्रेष्व् अस्त्रेषु च त्वरन् जग्राह वासवो वज्रं कृष्णश् चक्रं सुदर्शनम्

Transliteration

chinneṣv aśeṣabāṇeṣu śastreṣv astreṣu ca tvaran jagrāha vāsavo vajraṃ kṛṣṇaś cakraṃ sudarśanam

Translation

When all the arrows had been cut down—when both weapons and mystic missiles were shattered—then, in swift resolve, Vāsava seized his thunderbolt, and Kṛṣṇa took up the Sudarśana discus.

Word by Word

• छिन्नेषु: when (they were) cut
• छिन्नेषु: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √chid (धातु) → chinna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन — ‘when/among (things) cut’

• अशेष-बाणेषु: in all the arrows
• अशेष-बाणेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन — ‘in all arrows’

• शस्त्रेषु: in the weapons
• शस्त्रेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śastra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• अस्त्रेषु: in the missiles
• अस्त्रेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय-निपात)

• त्वरन्: hastening
• त्वरन्: Karta (Agent qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √tvar (धातु) → tvaran (शतृ-कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — कर्तृ-विशेषण ‘hastening’

• जग्राह: seized
• जग्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √grah (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — ‘seized/took’

• वासवः: Vāsava (Indra)
• वासवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• वज्रम्: the thunderbolt
• वज्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vajra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — कर्म

• कृष्णः: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• चक्रम्: the discus
• चक्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — कर्म

• सुदर्शनम्: Sudarśana (beautiful-to-see)
• सुदर्शनम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — चक्रस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa escalates the encounter by taking up Sudarśana to subdue Indra’s aggression and restore proper deva-dharma.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Protection of devotees and reaffirmation of divine governance where the Lord’s weapons symbolize righteous order

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Indra (Vāsava)
• Vajra (thunderbolt)

FAQs

What is the significance of Sudarśana Chakra in the Vishnu Purana?

In this verse, Sudarśana appears as Krishna’s decisive divine instrument when lesser weapons fail, signaling Vishnu-Krishna’s supreme authority to restore and safeguard dharma.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the shift from arrows and astras to supreme weapons?

Parāśara narrates a battlefield escalation: once all arrows and even sanctified missiles are rendered ineffective, the leaders (Indra and Krishna) resort to their defining divine emblems—Vajra and Sudarśana.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu (as Krishna) in this context?

Krishna’s taking up of Sudarśana underscores Vaishnava theology: even amid Deva power (Indra’s Vajra), final sovereignty and the power to decisively uphold cosmic order rests with Vishnu-Krishna.