Shloka 2

पौण्ड्रक-वधः, कृत्या-प्रशमनम्, वाराणसी-दाहः

Devanagari script

यच् चान्यद् अकरोत् कर्म दिव्यचेष्टाविधानकृत् तत् कथ्यतां महाभाग परं कौतूहलं हि मे

Transliteration

yac cānyad akarot karma divyaceṣṭāvidhānakṛt tat kathyatāṃ mahābhāga paraṃ kautūhalaṃ hi me

Translation

And whatever other deeds He performed—He who ordains the very pattern of divine acts—pray tell me those as well, O greatly fortunate one; for a deep and urgent curiosity has arisen in me.

Word by Word

• यत्: whatever (that which)
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

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

• अन्यत्: other, additional
• अन्यत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (यत्/कर्म)

• अकरोत्: did
• अकरोत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कर्म: deed
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दिव्यचेष्टाविधानकृत्: the maker/ordainer of divine acts
• दिव्यचेष्टाविधानकृत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक) + चेष्टा (प्रातिपदिक) + विधान (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (दिव्याः चेष्टाः तासां विधानं तस्य कर्ता)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; अन्वादेशः (यत्-तत्)

• कथ्यताम्: let it be told
• कथ्यताम्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् भागः यस्य)

• परम्: great, supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कौतूहलम्)

• कौतूहलम्: curiosity
• कौतूहलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौतूहल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ

• मे: my, of me
• मे: Shashthi-sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Maitreya (addressing Sage Parāśara)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Maitreya

Topic: Request for further narration of Kṛṣṇa’s divine deeds while in human incarnation.

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: inquisitive

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To enact divine deeds in human form and draw beings into remembrance and inquiry that ripens into devotion.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Right understanding of avatāra and the Lord as the ordainer of all divine functions.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Reverent inquiry into Bhagavān’s līlā is itself a devotional discipline, because the Lord is the ordainer of all divine acts.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate śravaṇa (listening) and praśna (humble questioning) in study of sacred texts to deepen devotion and discernment.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhagavān’s transcendence does not negate His immanence: He orchestrates all divine agencies while remaining accessible through narration and devotion.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Sage Parāśara

FAQs

What is the significance of Maitreya’s curiosity in the Vishnu Purana?

It functions as a narrative device: the disciple’s questions open the way for Parāśara to unfold further sacred history and doctrine, keeping the teaching structured and progressive.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine action in this dialogue setting?

Through Maitreya’s request, the text signals that the coming narration will treat deeds not as random events but as actions ordered by a higher divine ordinance (vidhāna) and purpose.

What is the theological importance of the phrase ‘ordainer of divine acts’ here?

It emphasizes supreme sovereignty: the highest reality is presented as the regulator of even ‘divine’ manifestations and deeds, aligning the narrative with a theistic vision where the Lord’s will governs order and history.