Shloka 17

पौण्ड्रक-वधः, कृत्या-प्रशमनम्, वाराणसी-दाहः

Devanagari script

स्रग्धरं धृतशार्ङ्गं च सुपर्णरचितध्वजम् वक्षःस्थले कृतं चास्य श्रीवत्सं ददृशे हरिः

Transliteration

sragdharaṃ dhṛtaśārṅgaṃ ca suparṇaracitadhvajam vakṣaḥsthale kṛtaṃ cāsya śrīvatsaṃ dadṛśe hariḥ

Translation

He beheld him—garlanded, bearing the Śārṅga bow, with a banner marked by Suparṇa (Garuḍa), and with the Śrīvatsa sign set upon his chest.

Word by Word

• srag-dharam: wearing a garland
• srag-dharam: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sraj (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'स्रजं धरति' = wearing a garland

• dhṛta-śārṅgam: holding the Śārṅga (bow)
• dhṛta-śārṅgam: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhṛta (कृदन्त) + śārṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'शार्ङ्गं धृतम्' = holding the Śārṅga bow

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction): and

• suparṇa-racita-dhvajam: with a banner fashioned with Garuḍa
• suparṇa-racita-dhvajam: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: suparṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + racita (कृदन्त) + dhvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'सुपर्णेन रचितः ध्वजः यस्य' = whose banner is made/marked with Garuḍa

• vakṣaḥ-sthale: on (his) chest
• vakṣaḥ-sthale: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vakṣas (प्रातिपदिक) + sthala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'वक्षसः स्थलम्' = on the chest

• kṛtam: placed
• kṛtam: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु) → kṛta (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; agrees with 'śrīvatsam': 'placed/made'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction): and

• asya: of him
• asya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; genitive: 'of him'

• śrīvatsam: the Śrīvatsa mark
• śrīvatsam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrīvatsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; the Śrīvatsa mark

• dadṛśe: saw
• dadṛśe: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद: 'saw'

• hariḥ: Hari
• hariḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To manifest the unmistakable marks of the Supreme Lord and thereby nullify the pretender’s claim before defeating him.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Reaffirmation of the Lord’s unique lakṣaṇas (Śrīvatsa, Garuḍa-dhvaja, Śārṅga) and rightful worship

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord is known by His eternal auspicious marks and weapons, which signify His protective sovereignty and Śrī’s inseparable presence.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Contemplate the Lord’s lakṣaṇas (Śrīvatsa, Garuḍa, Śārṅga) in japa and pūjā to deepen steady devotion.

Vishishtadvaita: Śrī’s inseparability (Śrīvatsa as her sign) supports the personal, attribute-rich Brahman central to Viśiṣṭādvaita.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Garuḍa (Suparṇa)
• Śārṅga bow

FAQs

What is the significance of the Śrīvatsa mark in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse highlights Śrīvatsa as an auspicious emblem on Vishnu’s chest, signaling His supreme, blessed nature and recognizable divine identity in sacred vision (darśana).

How does Sage Parāśara frame the recognition of Vishnu in this passage?

Parāśara emphasizes identification through Vishnu’s unmistakable insignia—garland, Śārṅga bow, Garuḍa banner, and Śrīvatsa—showing that the Supreme is known by His divine attributes and signs.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu’s bow and banner here?

The Śārṅga bow conveys Vishnu’s protective sovereignty over dharma, while the Garuḍa-marked banner signifies His lordship and cosmic authority, reinforcing Vaishnava understanding of Vishnu as the supreme ruler of order.