Shloka 20

पौण्ड्रक-वधः, कृत्या-प्रशमनम्, वाराणसी-दाहः

Devanagari script

क्षणेन शार्ङ्गनिर्मुक्तैः शरैर् अरिविदारणैः गदाचक्रनिपातैश् च सूदयाम् आस तद्बलम्

Transliteration

kṣaṇena śārṅganirmuktaiḥ śarair arividāraṇaiḥ gadācakranipātaiś ca sūdayām āsa tadbalam

Translation

In a single instant, with enemy-rending arrows loosed from Śārṅga, and with the crashing blows of mace and discus besides, he utterly crushed that opposing host.

Word by Word

• क्षणेन: in an instant
• क्षणेन: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावेन कालाधिकरणार्थे (in a moment/within an instant)

• शार्ङ्गनिर्मुक्तैः: released from (the bow) Śārṅga
• शार्ङ्गनिर्मुक्तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शार्ङ्ग + निर्मुक्त (कृदन्त; नि√मुच् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: बहुव्रीह्यर्थे तत्पुरुषसमासः (शार्ङ्गेण निर्मुक्ताः = released from Śārṅga); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying śaraiḥ)

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अरिविदारणैः: enemy-rending
• अरिविदारणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अरि + विदारण (कृदन्त; वि√दॄ (धातु) + ल्युट्/ण्वुल् भावे/करणे)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (अरिणां विदारणाः = enemy-rending); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying śaraiḥ)

• गदाचक्रनिपातैः: with the strikes of mace and discus
• गदाचक्रनिपातैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा + चक्र + निपात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार-द्वन्द्व/समुच्चयार्थसमासः (गदाया च चक्रस्य च निपाताः = blows/strikes of mace and discus); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

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

• सूदयाम्: he slew/caused to be destroyed
• सूदयाम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सूदय् (धातु; √सूद्/सूदय्)
• Form: लिट्-लकारे परस्मैपदस्य परिप्रयोगः; ‘सूदयाम् आस’ इति परिप्रयोगे लिट्/लुङ्-भावार्थकं कृदन्तवत् (periphrastic perfect); प्रथमपुरुषार्थे (with āsa)

• आस: did/was (auxiliary)
• आस: Kriya (Auxiliary/सहायक-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; सहायकक्रिया (auxiliary in periphrastic perfect)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying balam)

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

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He manifests to protect the earth by destroying adharmic kings and impostors who challenge the Lord’s sovereignty.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Reassertion of the Lord’s rightful insignia and the protection of dharma through the defeat of arrogant, deceptive rulers

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Vishnu
• Śārṅga (the divine bow)
• Gadā (mace)
• Cakra (discus)
• Enemy host/army

FAQs

What is the significance of Krishna’s divine weapons (Śārṅga, cakra, gadā) in the Vishnu Purana?

They signify the Lord’s supreme sovereignty: His will alone is sufficient to uphold dharma, and the weapons function as visible emblems of that cosmic authority.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine victory in this battle context?

By emphasizing immediacy—“in an instant”—Parāśara frames victory as effortless for the Supreme Lord, not merely as human strategy but as the direct triumph of dharma over hostile force.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this verse’s depiction of combat?

The verse presents Krishna’s action as the Supreme Reality’s decisive intervention: Vishnu’s power is not contingent, and the destruction of the opposing host is portrayed as a dharmic act restoring order.