Shloka 1

पारिजातहरणम्, द्वारकाप्रवेशः, षोडशसहस्रविवाहः

Pārijāta, Return to Dvārakā, and the Lord’s Many Forms

Devanagari script

संस्तुतो भगवान् इत्थं देवराजेन केशवः प्रहस्य भावगम्भीरम् उवाचेन्द्रं द्विजोत्तम

Transliteration

saṃstuto bhagavān itthaṃ devarājena keśavaḥ prahasya bhāvagambhīram uvācendraṃ dvijottama

Translation

Thus praised by Indra, king of the gods, the Blessed Lord Keśava—smiling, yet with deep intent—addressed Indra; O best of the twice-born.

Word by Word

• संस्तुतः: praised
• संस्तुतः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संस्तुत (√स्तु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

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

• इत्थम्: thus
• इत्थम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीति-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• देवराजेन: by the king of the gods (Indra)
• देवराजेन: Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + राज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (देवानां राजा = king of gods)

• केशवः: Keshava (Vishnu)
• केशवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रहस्य: having smiled/laughed
• प्रहस्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √हस् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वक्रिया (having laughed)

• भावगम्भीरम्: with deep composure
• भावगम्भीरम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial accusative/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भाव + गम्भीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (भावेन गम्भीरम् = deep in feeling)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• इन्द्रम्: to Indra
• इन्द्रम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• द्विजोत्तम: O best of Brahmins
• द्विजोत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (द्विजानाम् उत्तम = best of twice-born)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya); within the narrative, Krishna (Keśava) is about to speak to Indra.

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He responds to the gods and mortals alike, guiding and protecting the cosmic order while revealing his supremacy with gentle authority.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Proper relationship between devas and Bhagavan—humility, surrender, and dharmic order.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Keshava (Krishna/Vishnu)
• Bhagavan

FAQs

What is the significance of Indra praising Krishna in the Vishnu Purana?

It frames a reversal of hierarchy: the king of the gods acknowledges Keśava as supreme, preparing for Krishna’s teaching on true sovereignty beyond the Devas.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the shift from divine pride to divine order here?

By narrating that Indra’s praise is met with Krishna’s calm, meaningful smile—signaling correction without hostility and re-centering dharma under Bhagavan’s authority.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu (Krishna) in this context?

Krishna is presented as Bhagavan—supreme reality and ruler of universal order—before whom even Indra stands as a dependent power, reinforcing Vaishnava supremacy.