Shloka 22

बाणयुद्धम्, हरिहरसंवादः, ज्वरप्रकरणम्, अनिरुद्धमोचनम्

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

Devanagari script

हरिशंकरयोर् युद्धम् अतीवासीत् सुदारुणम् चुक्षुभुः सकला लोकाः यत्रास्त्रांशुप्रतापिताः

Transliteration

hariśaṃkarayor yuddham atīvāsīt sudāruṇam cukṣubhuḥ sakalā lokāḥ yatrāstrāṃśupratāpitāḥ

Translation

The battle between Hari and Śaṅkara grew exceedingly fierce and dreadful; all the worlds were thrown into turmoil, scorched by the blazing radiance of the weapons unleashed there.

Word by Word

• हरिशंकरयोः: of Hari and Śaṅkara
• हरिशंकरयोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक) + शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व); पुल्लिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन (Dual)

• युद्धम्: the battle
• युद्धम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अतीव: exceedingly
• अतीव: Avyaya (Adverbial modifier/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अतिशयार्थक (intensifying adverb)

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• सुदारुणम्: very dreadful
• सुदारुणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/प्रादि) + दारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (युद्धम् इति विशेष्यस्य)

• चुक्षुभुः: were agitated
• चुक्षुभुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षुभ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सकलाः: all
• सकलाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम् (लोकाः इति)

• लोकाः: worlds; people
• लोकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Avyaya (Relative adverb/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक-स्थानवाचक (relative adverb: where)

• अस्त्रांशु-प्रतापिताः: scorched by the rays/flashes of weapons
• अस्त्रांशु-प्रतापिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अंशु (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रतापित (प्रातिपदिक; √तप् क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी/सप्तमी-सम्बन्धार्थे: अस्त्राणाम् अंशुभिः प्रतापिताः); पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम् (लोकाः इति)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The ferocity of the Hari–Śaṅkara battle and its cosmic effects on the lokas.

Teaching: Historical

Quality: vivid, awe-inducing description

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas (worlds)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa’s confrontation with Śaṅkara intensifies to a cosmic-scale battle, displaying the Lord’s irresistible power that shakes all worlds.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Reassertion of the Supreme’s control so that cosmic order is not truly undone despite appearances.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Shankara (Shiva)
• Lokas (the worlds)

FAQs

What is the significance of the Hari–Shankara battle in the Vishnu Purana?

It dramatizes how even divine conflict can shake the entire cosmos, underscoring that universal order ultimately depends on the Supreme’s governance and the restoration of dharma.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the cosmic impact of divine weapons (astras)?

He depicts the astras’ radiance as so intense that all lokas become agitated and scorched, emphasizing that divine power operates on a universal scale, not merely a local battlefield.

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

Hari’s presence in such a world-shaking episode highlights Vishnu’s sovereignty over cosmic stability—Vaishnava thought frames him as the final principle by which disorder is contained and order is re-established.