Shloka 12

पौण्ड्रक-वधः, कृत्या-प्रशमनम्, वाराणसी-दाहः

Devanagari script

शरणं ते समभ्येत्य कर्तास्मि नृपते तथा यथा त्वत्तो भयं भूयो न मे किंचिद् भविष्यति

Transliteration

śaraṇaṃ te samabhyetya kartāsmi nṛpate tathā yathā tvatto bhayaṃ bhūyo na me kiṃcid bhaviṣyati

Translation

Having come to you for refuge, O King, I shall act so that from you no fear will ever again arise for me, not even in the least.

Word by Word

• शरणम्: refuge
• शरणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; (refuge)

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th, Genitive) एकवचन

• समभ्येत्य: having approached
• समभ्येत्य: Sambandha (Prior action/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + अभि + इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund); अर्थः—समभ्यागत्य (having approached)

• कर्ता: doer, one who will do
• कर्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक; √कृ धातोः तृच्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक (doer)

• अस्मि: am
• अस्मि: Kriya (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम

• नृपते: O king
• नृपते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• तथा: thus, in such a way
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: thus/so)

• यथा: so that, as
• यथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक अव्यय (correlative: so that/as)

• त्वत्तः: from you
• त्वत्तः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी (5th, Ablative) एकवचन; (from you)

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• भूयः: again, further
• भूयः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरर्थक/अधिक्यार्थक अव्यय (again, further)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• मे: for me / of me
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th, Genitive) एकवचन; (mama/me)

• किंचित्: anything
• किंचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक सर्वनाम (something/anything)

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम

Speaker

A supplicant addressing a king (nṛpati) within the dynastic narrative recounted by Sage Parāśara to Maitreya

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa becomes a refuge for those threatened by unjust power, ensuring fear is removed and dharma is secured.

Leela: Moksha-dana

Dharma Restored: Abhaya (fearlessness) granted under righteous protection; restoration of just rule

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śaraṇāgati (seeking refuge) aims at abhaya—freedom from fear—when one aligns conduct with the protector’s will.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Cultivate surrender in crises: seek rightful protection, act transparently, and abandon retaliatory fear-based choices.

Vishishtadvaita: The refuge is personal: the Lord (and his dharmic order) grants ‘abhaya’ while the soul remains distinct yet supported—dependence (śeṣatva) is emphasized.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Kings (nṛpati)
• Sage Parasara
• Maitreya

FAQs

What is the significance of seeking refuge (śaraṇam) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames refuge as a moral and political act within rāja-dharma: approaching rightful authority for protection and agreeing to conduct oneself so that fear and hostility cease.

How does Sage Parāśara explain kingship through such episodes?

By embedding short vows and pleas inside dynastic history, Parāśara shows that legitimate sovereignty is measured by protection, restraint, and the restoration of fearlessness among subjects and dependents.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Purana’s worldview treats righteous kingship and the granting of refuge as reflections of Vishnu’s sustaining order (dharma) that upholds security and harmony in the world.