Shloka 32

बाणयुद्धम्, हरिहरसंवादः, ज्वरप्रकरणम्, अनिरुद्धमोचनम्

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

Devanagari script

परस्परम् इषून् दीप्तान् कायत्राणविभेदकान् कृष्णश् चिच्छेद बाणैस् तान् बाणेन प्रहितान् शरान् बिभेद केशवं बाणो बाणं विव्याध चक्रभृत्

Transliteration

parasparam iṣūn dīptān kāyatrāṇavibhedakān kṛṣṇaś ciccheda bāṇais tān bāṇena prahitān śarān bibheda keśavaṃ bāṇo bāṇaṃ vivyādha cakrabhṛt

Translation

They hurled blazing, armor-rending arrows at one another. Kṛṣṇa severed those missiles with his own shafts; yet Bāṇa’s arrows split through Keśava’s volleys, and the wielder of the discus pierced Bāṇa in return—weapon meeting weapon in a fierce, measured contest.

Word by Word

• परस्परम्: mutually
• परस्परम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परस्परम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परस्पर-भाववाचक (reciprocal adverb: ‘mutually/each other’)

• इषून्: arrows
• इषून्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इषु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• दीप्तान्: blazing
• दीप्तान्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप्त (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP from √दीप् ‘to shine’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण इषूनाम्

• कायत्राणविभेदकान्: piercing body-armor
• कायत्राणविभेदकान्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कायत्राण + विभेदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समासः—कायत्राणस्य विभेदकाः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); विशेषण इषूनाम्

• कृष्णः: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चिच्छेद: cut (them)
• चिच्छेद: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु—छिद् (to cut)

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

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• बाणेन: with an arrow
• बाणेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रहितान्: sent/shot
• प्रहितान्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + हि (धातु)
• Form: कर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; धातु—हि (to send/cast), उपसर्ग—प्र; विशेषण शरानाम्

• शरान्: arrows
• शरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• बिभेद: pierced/split
• बिभेद: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु—भिद् (to split/pierce)

• केशवम्: Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)
• केशवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• बाणम्: (an) arrow
• बाणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विव्याध: pierced
• विव्याध: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• चक्रभृत्: the discus-bearer (Kṛṣṇa)
• चक्रभृत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र + भृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—चक्रं भर्ते इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्रायः); कर्तृवाचक नाम

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Details of the arrow-to-arrow duel between Bāṇa and Kṛṣṇa (Keśava/cakrabhṛt).

Teaching: Historical

Quality: highly descriptive

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa descends to defeat asuric champions and demonstrate invincible divine sovereignty while protecting dharma.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Reassertion of divine supremacy over violent power and the protection of righteous order through controlled might

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even in intense conflict, mastery is shown by restraint, precision, and the capacity to neutralize harm without losing inner steadiness.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: In confrontations, prioritize skillful de-escalation and clarity—answer provocation with measured competence rather than uncontrolled reaction.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhagavān’s personal form (Keśava/Hari) acts within history while remaining sovereign—transcendence expressed through immanent, skillful action.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Characters & Entities

• Krishna (Keśava, Cakrabhṛt)
• Bāṇa

FAQs

What is the significance of the mutual cutting of arrows in this Vishnu Purana verse?

It highlights the extraordinary, almost cosmic scale of the combat while underscoring Krishna’s sovereign mastery—his power is shown as controlled and decisive, not chaotic.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine sovereignty through battle imagery here?

By depicting Krishna (Keśava/Cakrabhṛt) calmly countering and piercing the opponent amid an overwhelming exchange of missiles, the narration presents the Lord as the ultimate regulator of force and outcome.

What is the theological importance of calling Krishna “Cakrabhṛt” in this context?

“Cakrabhṛt” links Krishna explicitly to Vishnu’s iconic authority and protective function, implying that the Supreme Lord upholds dharma even within the arena of conflict.