Shloka 4

पारिजातहरणम्, द्वारकाप्रवेशः, षोडशसहस्रविवाहः

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

Devanagari script

वज्रं चेदं गृहाण त्वं यद् ग्रस्तं प्रहितं त्वया तवैवैतत् प्रहरणं शक्र वैरिविदारणम्

Transliteration

vajraṃ cedaṃ gṛhāṇa tvaṃ yad grastaṃ prahitaṃ tvayā tavaivaitat praharaṇaṃ śakra vairividāraṇam

Translation

Take back this very Vajra—the thunderbolt that was swallowed after being hurled by you. It is indeed your own weapon, O Śakra, fashioned to tear apart the foe.

Word by Word

• वज्रम्: the thunderbolt
• वज्रम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वज्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

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

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• गृहाण: take!
• गृहाण: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• ग्रस्तम्: swallowed, seized
• ग्रस्तम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रस्त (√ग्रस्, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• प्रहितम्: hurled, sent forth
• प्रहितम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रहित (प्र + √हि/√धा, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (sent/shot forth)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (Avadhāraṇa/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• प्रहरणम्: weapon
• प्रहरणम्: Apposition (Samānādhikaraṇa/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रहरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• वैरिविदारणम्: enemy-rending
• वैरिविदारणम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैरि + विदारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वैरिणां विदारणम् = enemy-splitting)

Speaker

Narrative voice of Sage Parāśara (within an embedded divine dialogue addressing Indra/Śakra)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He restores harmony by returning Indra’s vajra and demonstrating that divine power is governed by restraint and rightful ownership.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Kṣamā and restraint in power; proper use and return of weapons; reconciliation after conflict.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even after conflict, dharma requires restitution and restraint: the Lord returns what belongs to another and neutralizes hostility without needless domination.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: After disputes, prioritize repair—return what is not yours, de-escalate, and restore right relations rather than seeking triumph.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhagavan’s supremacy is expressed through compassionate governance (niyamanam) that restores order rather than merely overpowering others.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Śakra)
• Vajra

FAQs

What is the significance of the Vajra in the Vishnu Purana?

In this verse the Vajra is emphasized as Indra’s rightful, foe-destroying weapon—symbolizing legitimate divine authority used to re-establish cosmic order.

How does Sage Parāśara present divine power and sovereignty in such episodes?

By framing weapons like the Vajra as instruments of dharma—returned to their proper wielder—Parāśara underscores that power is sanctioned when aligned with the maintenance of universal order.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Purāṇic worldview treats such restorations of divine order as operating under Vishnu’s supreme governance, with devas functioning within that higher sovereignty.