Shloka 67

स्वर्गगमनम्, अदितिस्तुतिः-मायातत्त्वम्, तथा पारिजात-प्रसङ्गे इन्द्रयुद्धम्

Devanagari script

क्षिप्तं वज्रम् अथेन्द्रेण जग्राह भगवान् हरिः न मुमोच तथा चक्रं शक्रं तिष्ठेति चाब्रवीत्

Transliteration

kṣiptaṃ vajram athendreṇa jagrāha bhagavān hariḥ na mumoca tathā cakraṃ śakraṃ tiṣṭheti cābravīt

Translation

When Indra hurled the thunderbolt, the Blessed Lord Hari caught it. Nor did he release his discus; instead he commanded Śakra, “Stand still.”

Word by Word

• क्षिप्तम्: thrown
• क्षिप्तम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kṣip (धातु) → kṣipta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — वज्रम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

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

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अनन्तर/आरम्भसूचक) — ‘then, now’

• इन्द्रेण: by Indra
• इन्द्रेण: Karta (Agent in passive/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन — कर्तृ-करणभावे (agent in passive sense of ‘thrown by Indra’)

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

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — हरिः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध) — ‘not’

• मुमोच: released
• मुमोच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √muc (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — ‘released/let go’

• तथा: likewise, thus
• तथा: Sambandha (Manner/रीति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (रीतिवाचक) — ‘thus, likewise’

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

• शक्रम्: Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रम्: Karma (Target of command/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — संबोधित-लक्ष्य (addressed person as object of speech/command)

• तिष्ठ: stand (still)
• तिष्ठ: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — ‘stand, stop’

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation/उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उद्धरण-निपात) — quotation marker ‘thus’

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

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Speech act/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — ‘said’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa halts Indra’s violence by effortlessly catching the vajra and commanding him, thereby humbling pride and restoring right order.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Subordination of deva-power to Bhagavān; restoration of humility and proper obedience within cosmic administration

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Divine sovereignty is effortless: the Lord restrains even the thunderbolt and directs the gods, teaching that ultimate refuge and authority lie only in Hari.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Cultivate surrender (śaraṇāgati) and humility: do not be shaken by displays of power; align one’s actions with the Lord’s will and dharma.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord’s lordship over real, distinct beings (like Indra) illustrates qualified non-dualism: all are dependent modes/servants of the Supreme, governed by his will.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Hari)
• Indra (Śakra)
• Vajra

FAQs

What is the significance of Hari catching Indra’s Vajra in the Vishnu Purana?

It dramatizes Vishnu’s absolute sovereignty: even Indra’s supreme weapon is powerless before Bhagavān, affirming that cosmic authority ultimately rests in Narayana.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine authority in this episode?

Through a concrete act—Hari seizing the Vajra and holding the Chakra—Parāśara shows that the devas function within a higher governance, with Vishnu as the final regulator of power and consequence.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu telling Indra “Stand still”?

The command underscores Vishnu as the supreme ruler who can restrain even the lord of the devas, highlighting a core Vaishnava principle: all agency and might are subordinate to the Supreme Reality, Hari.