Shloka 28

बाणयुद्धम्, हरिहरसंवादः, ज्वरप्रकरणम्, अनिरुद्धमोचनम्

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

Devanagari script

नन्दीशसंगृहीताश्वम् अधिरूढो महारथम् बाणस् तत्राययौ योद्धुं कृष्णकार्ष्णिबलैः सह

Transliteration

nandīśasaṃgṛhītāśvam adhirūḍho mahāratham bāṇas tatrāyayau yoddhuṃ kṛṣṇakārṣṇibalaiḥ saha

Translation

Mounting the great chariot whose horses had been harnessed by Nandīśa, Bāṇa came there ready to fight, advancing against Kṛṣṇa and the armies of the Vṛṣṇis.

Word by Word

• नन्दीश-संगृहीत-अश्वम्: (chariot) whose horses were seized by Nandīśa
• नन्दीश-संगृहीत-अश्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नन्दीश (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्-ग्रह् (धातु) + अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय) ‘संगृहीत’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी/तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (नन्दीशेन संगृहीताः अश्वाः यस्य रथस्य)

• अधिरूढः: having mounted
• अधिरूढः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय) ‘अधिरूढ’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महा-रथम्: a great chariot
• महा-रथम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (महान् रथः)

• बाणः: Bāṇa
• बाणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Desha-adhikarana (Location/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश-क्रियाविशेषण (there)

• आययौ: came
• आययौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परिपूर्णभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• योद्धुम्: to fight
• योद्धुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), अव्ययभाव (क्रियार्थ)

• कृष्ण-कार्ष्णि-बलैः: with the forces of Kṛṣṇa and of the Kārṣṇi (Pradyumna)
• कृष्ण-कार्ष्णि-बलैः: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + कार्ष्णि (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः द्वन्द्वः (कृष्णश्च कार्ष्णिश्च) विशेषणयोः ‘बल’ इति; अर्थतः: कृष्णस्य कार्ष्णेः च बलैः

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahartha (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक-उपपद (with)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa faces Bāṇa’s direct assault, setting the stage for the climactic subduing of the asura-king and the protection of the Vṛṣṇi forces.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Containment of tyrannical aggression and restoration of rightful order through Bhagavān’s victory

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Characters & Entities

• Bāṇa (Bāṇāsura)
• Nandīśa (Nandi)
• Krishna
• Vṛṣṇis (Kārṣṇi forces)

FAQs

What is the significance of Nandīśa harnessing the horses in this verse of the Vishnu Purana?

It signals the formal mobilization of Śiva’s side (through Nandīśa/Nandi), escalating the conflict into an organized battlefield encounter against Krishna and the Vṛṣṇis.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the unfolding of battle in the Bāṇa episode?

Parāśara narrates it as a sequence of tactical advances—Bāṇa arrives mounted and prepared—showing how opposing forces assemble before Krishna’s decisive intervention restores order.

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

Even within a clash involving Śiva’s attendants, Krishna stands as the sovereign center of the narrative—his presence frames the battle as part of the larger dharmic and cosmic order upheld by Vishnu.