Shloka 13

बाणयुद्धम्, हरिहरसंवादः, ज्वरप्रकरणम्, अनिरुद्धमोचनम्

Bāṇa’s War, the Jvara Episode, Hari–Hara Dialogue, and Aniruddha’s Release

Devanagari script

पुरीप्रवेशे प्रमथैर् युद्धम् आसीन् महात्मनः ययौ बाणपुराभ्याशं नीत्वा तान् संक्षयं हरिः

Transliteration

purīpraveśe pramathair yuddham āsīn mahātmanaḥ yayau bāṇapurābhyāśaṃ nītvā tān saṃkṣayaṃ hariḥ

Translation

At the city’s very gate, battle flared with the Pramathas against that great-souled One; Hari drove them to destruction and advanced to the vicinity of Bāṇapura.

Word by Word

• पुरीप्रवेशे: at the entry into the city
• पुरीप्रवेशे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी + प्रवेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन — Locative singular; समासः तत्पुरुष (पुर्याः प्रवेशः/पुरीप्रवेशः)

• प्रमथैः: by the Pramathas
• प्रमथैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent group/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• युद्धम्: a battle
• युद्धम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/इम्परफेक्ट), परस्मैपद, तृतीया-पुरुष, एकवचन — ‘was’

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled (one)
• महात्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन — Genitive singular; समासः कर्मधारय (महान् आत्मा यस्य)

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपद, तृतीया-पुरुष, एकवचन — ‘went’

• बाणपुराभ्याशम्: to the vicinity of Bāṇapura
• बाणपुराभ्याशम्: Karman (Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाणपुर + अभ्याश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन — Accusative singular; समासः तत्पुरुष (बाणपुरस्य अभ्याशः = vicinity of Bāṇa’s city)

• नीत्वा: having led
• नीत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) — ‘having led’

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचन

• संक्षयम्: destruction
• संक्षयम्: Karman (Result/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa destroys the Pramatha defenders and advances on Bāṇa’s stronghold to liberate Aniruddha and reassert divine sovereignty over all hostile forces.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Re-establishment of righteous protection: no demonic or violent host can bar the Lord from saving his own.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord’s ‘aiśvarya’ (sovereign mastery) is unassailable: opposition is overcome when Bhagavān acts to protect his dependents.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: In adversity, pair effort with surrender—act decisively for dharma while trusting that ultimate protection rests with the Lord.

Vishishtadvaita: Aiśvarya and saulabhya unite: the transcendent Lord exercises irresistible power specifically for the welfare of those in relationship to him (śaraṇāgati).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Pramathas
• Bāṇapura (city of Bāṇa)

FAQs

What is the significance of the battle at the city entrance in the Vishnu Purana?

It dramatizes the threshold between order and disorder: the Lord’s side cannot be barred at the “gate,” because divine sovereignty overcomes all obstructive forces.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine action in such conflict episodes?

Through concise narrative causality: Parāśara depicts Hari’s intervention as purposeful—subduing hostile forces to restore the rightful course of events and dharma.

What is the theological importance of Hari going toward Bāṇapura here?

It frames Vishnu not merely as a participant in history but as its Supreme governor—moving decisively toward the center of opposition and dissolving it under divine will.