Shloka 16

पारिजातहरणम्, द्वारकाप्रवेशः, षोडशसहस्रविवाहः

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

Devanagari script

षोडशस्त्रीसहस्राणि शतम् एकं तथाधिकम् तावन्ति चक्रे रूपाणि भगवान् मधुसूदनः

Transliteration

ṣoḍaśastrīsahasrāṇi śatam ekaṃ tathādhikam tāvanti cakre rūpāṇi bhagavān madhusūdanaḥ

Translation

The Blessed Lord Madhusūdana assumed as many distinct forms as there were wives—sixteen thousand and one hundred more—so that to each He might be wholly present.

Word by Word

• षोडश: sixteen
• षोडश: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; समासपूर्वपद (numeral)

• स्त्री: women
• स्त्री: Sambandha (Compound-member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (women)

• सहस्राणि: thousands (of women)
• सहस्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; षोडश-स्त्री-सहस्र (समाहार/निर्देश)

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; शतम् इत्यस्य विशेषण

• तथा: and/also/thus
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण/समुच्चयार्थ (adverb: 'thus/also')

• अधिकम्: additional
• अधिकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'more/additional'

• तावन्ति: so many
• तावन्ति: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; 'so many'

• चक्रे: made/assumed
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• रूपाणि: forms
• रूपाणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

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

• मधुसूदनः: Madhusudana (slayer of Madhu)
• मधुसूदनः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधुसूदन (प्रातिपदिक; मधु+सूदन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपाधि/नाम

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How Krishna could marry and dwell with many wives without contradiction

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Krishna manifests multiple forms to be fully present to each wife, displaying divine sovereignty and grace within household dharma.

Leela: Adbhuta

Dharma Restored: Assurance of just, undivided attention and protection to each queen within lawful marriage

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Bhagavān is not diminished by multiple manifestations; divine presence can be simultaneously complete for each devotee.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Cultivate confidence that sincere devotion receives full divine attention, without comparison or scarcity-thinking.

Vishishtadvaita: Supports the Lord’s ananta-kalyāṇa-guṇas and unlimited śakti: one Supreme who can be wholly present in many relations without division.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Madhurya

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Krishna
• Krishna's wives

FAQs

What is the significance of Krishna taking many forms in the Vishnu Purana?

It demonstrates Bhagavān’s aiśvarya—His limitless power—showing that the Supreme Lord can be simultaneously and fully present in many places without being diminished or divided.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Lord’s relationship to devotees through this episode?

Through the narrative of one Lord becoming many, Parāśara conveys that the Lord responds personally to each being, meeting them directly while remaining the single, supreme reality.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Vishnu (as Krishna) is presented as the personal Supreme Being (Bhagavān) whose transcendence includes the capacity to manifest multiple complete forms—supporting a devotional, theistic understanding of ultimate reality.