Shloka 3

पारिजातहरणम्, द्वारकाप्रवेशः, षोडशसहस्रविवाहः

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

Devanagari script

पारिजाततरुश् चायं नीयताम् उचितास्पदम् गृहीतो ऽयं मया शक्र सत्यावचनकारणात्

Transliteration

pārijātataruś cāyaṃ nīyatām ucitāspadam gṛhīto 'yaṃ mayā śakra satyāvacanakāraṇāt

Translation

Let this Pārijāta tree now be taken to its rightful abode. O Śakra, I have claimed it for the sake of truthfulness; a word once given must not be made false.

Word by Word

• पारिजाततरुः: the Pārijāta tree
• पारिजाततरुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पारिजात + तरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (पारिजातः तरुः)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• नीयताम्: let (it) be taken
• नीयताम्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नी (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive imperative)

• उचितास्पदम्: to a proper place
• उचितास्पदम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उचित + आस्पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (उचितम् आस्पदम् = suitable place)

• गृहीतः: was taken
• गृहीतः: Kriya-visheshana/Predicate (State/अवस्था)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गृहीत (√ग्रह्, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• अयम्: this (tree)
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• शक्र: O Śakra (Indra)
• शक्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• सत्यावचनकारणात्: because of (your) truthful promise
• सत्यावचनकारणात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य + वचन + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सत्यं वचनं यस्य तत्; तस्य कारणम् = because of the true promise/word)

Speaker

Lord Krishna (addressing Indra/Śakra in the Pārijāta dispute, as narrated by Sage Parāśara to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He upholds satya (truthfulness) and dharma by keeping his word, even in dealings with Indra over the divine Pārijāta.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Satya-vrata (keeping one’s promise) and rightful ordering of possessions by the Lord’s will.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dharma is anchored in satya: the Lord models unwavering truthfulness, making his promise the governing principle even amid celestial dispute.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Keep commitments carefully; speak truthfully and act consistently, letting integrity guide conflict resolution.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhagavan’s līlā operates within dharma to teach beings; his sovereignty is expressed as righteous order, not arbitrary force.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Madhurya

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Indra (Śakra)
• Pārijāta (celestial tree)
• Satya (truth/promise)

FAQs

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

In this verse, the Pārijāta symbolizes celestial privilege, yet Krishna asserts that even heavenly treasures fall under rightful order; it must go to its “proper abode,” showing divine sovereignty over deva possessions.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the importance of truth (satya-vacana) here?

Through Krishna’s statement, the narrative frames truthfulness as a binding force of dharma: Krishna acts “because of satya-vacana,” meaning a promise once given must be upheld, even against Indra’s resistance.

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

Krishna’s command to Indra presents Vishnu as the higher reality and ruler of cosmic order—devas are not ultimate; the Supreme maintains dharma by upholding truth and rightful balance.