Shloka 30

बाणयुद्धम्, हरिहरसंवादः, ज्वरप्रकरणम्, अनिरुद्धमोचनम्

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

Devanagari script

आकृष्य लाङ्गलाग्रेण मुसलेनावपोथितम् बलं बलेन ददृशे बाणो बाणैश् च चक्रिणा

Transliteration

ākṛṣya lāṅgalāgreṇa musalenāvapothitam balaṃ balena dadṛśe bāṇo bāṇaiś ca cakriṇā

Translation

Dragging him in with the tip of his ploughshare and striking him down with the mace, Balarāma beheld the foe’s strength shattered by strength itself; while Kṛṣṇa, wielder of the discus, met Bāṇa with a rain of arrows—arrow answering arrow.

Word by Word

• आकृष्य: having pulled
• आकृष्य: Purvakriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + कृष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive); धातु—कृष् (to draw/pull), उपसर्ग—आ; ‘having dragged/pulled’

• लाङ्गलाग्रेण: with the tip of the plough
• लाङ्गलाग्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाङ्गल + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—लाङ्गलस्य अग्रेण (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• मुसलेन: with the mace
• मुसलेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुसल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अवपोथितम्: smitten/overthrown
• अवपोथितम्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव + पुथ्/पथ् (धातु)
• Form: कर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘struck down/overthrown’

• बलम्: the army/force
• बलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बलेन: by force / with strength
• बलेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ददृशे: was seen / appeared
• ददृशे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु—दृश् (to see)

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

• बाणैः: with arrows
• बाणैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• चक्रिणा: by the discus-bearer (Kṛṣṇa)
• चक्रिणा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘one who has a discus’ (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating) to Maitreya

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Description of the Bāṇa-yuddha and the roles of Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa.

Teaching: Historical

Quality: vivid, martial

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa descends to curb asuric tyranny and protect the Yādavas, ensuring dharma’s continuity.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Protection of the righteous and the re-establishment of proportionate, dharma-aligned force

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When power is yoked to righteousness and restraint, it overcomes brute force through skill, timing, and proportion.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate disciplined capability (bala) and apply it with discernment—respond to harm with measured, effective action rather than excess.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord and his divine associate (Balarāma as śeṣa/saṅkarṣaṇa in later theology) act in coordinated protection, reflecting divine order expressed through multiple personal agencies.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Characters & Entities

• Balarama
• Krishna
• Vishnu
• Bana (Bāṇa)
• Sudarshana-chakra (implied by cakriṇā)

FAQs

What is the significance of Balarāma’s plough and mace in the Vishnu Purana?

They symbolize disciplined power used to restore order—Balarāma subdues the opponent by drawing him in (control) and then striking him down (righteous force).

How does Sage Parāśara present divine action in this battle context?

Parāśara narrates avatāra-līlā as purposeful sovereignty: the heroes do not merely fight, but decisively neutralize adharma with effortless mastery—strength meeting and surpassing strength.

What is the theological importance of calling Kṛṣṇa “cakriṇā” here?

“Cakrin” links Kṛṣṇa to Vishnu as the supreme protector; the discus-bearing identity signals transcendent authority operating within history to uphold dharma.