Shloka 70

स्वर्गगमनम्, अदितिस्तुतिः-मायातत्त्वम्, तथा पारिजात-प्रसङ्गे इन्द्रयुद्धम्

Devanagari script

कीदृशं देवराज्यं ते पारिजातस्रगुज्ज्वलाम् अपश्यतो यथा पूर्वं प्रणयाभ्यागतां शचीम्

Transliteration

kīdṛśaṃ devarājyaṃ te pārijātasragujjvalām apaśyato yathā pūrvaṃ praṇayābhyāgatāṃ śacīm

Translation

What kind of kingship over the gods is this of yours, when you cannot even behold Śacī as before—she who once came to you of her own accord in love, radiant with Pārijāta garlands?

Word by Word

• कीदृशम्: what kind of
• कीदृशम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कीदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/प्रथमा or 2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-विशेषण

• देवराज्यम्: kingdom of the gods
• देवराज्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/प्रथमा or 2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (देवानां राज्यम्)

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उभयलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पारिजातस्रगुज्ज्वलाम्: bright with a pārijāta garland
• पारिजातस्रगुज्ज्वलाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पारिजात-स्रज्-उज्ज्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः (पारिजातस्य स्रजा उज्ज्वला)

• अपश्यतः: of you not seeing (her)
• अपश्यतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-पश् (धातु) → पश्यत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ) ‘of (one) not seeing’

• यथा: as, just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (comparative/‘as’)

• पूर्वम्: formerly, before
• पूर्वम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• प्रणय: with affection, out of love
• प्रणय: Hetu/Instrument (Cause/means/हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; समासे पूर्वपदत्वेन (instrumental sense)

• अभ्यागताम्: who has come, arrived
• अभ्यागताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-आ-गम् (धातु) → अभ्यागत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘having come/arrived’

• शचीम्: Śacī
• शचीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (traditionally Sage Parāśara recounting to Maitreya); within the episode, the voice is a reproach directed at Indra in the Parijata conflict context

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Krishna’s presence exposes the fragility of Indra’s kingship when severed from honor and dharma, preparing the surrender that allows the Pārijāta to be yielded.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Kṣātra-dharma (royal duty) and the proper conduct of rulers

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Authority is validated by steadfastness and right relationship, not by nominal sovereignty.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: In leadership, prioritize responsibility and relational integrity over image and privilege.

Vishishtadvaita: All lordships are derivative; true sovereignty belongs to Bhagavān, while others rule by his allowance.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Madhurya

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Devaraja)
• Shachi (Indrani)
• Parijata (celestial tree/flower)

FAQs

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

Here it marks celestial prestige and intimacy; losing the sight of Śacī “radiant with Pārijāta garlands” signals a collapse of Indra’s personal and royal harmony in Svarga.

How does the Vishnu Purana portray Indra’s sovereignty in this verse?

It frames devarājya as fragile when driven by pride or conflict—Indra’s rule is questioned because he cannot maintain even the former loving presence of Śacī.

What is the theological takeaway about supreme sovereignty in this context?

The verse implicitly contrasts limited heavenly kingship with higher divine order: true stability and authority ultimately rest beyond Indra—aligned with the Purana’s broader vision of supreme governance under the highest reality (Viṣṇu).