Shloka 15

साम्ब-हरणम्, बलदेवस्य रोषः, हस्तिनापुर-आकर्षणम्

Devanagari script

तद् गच्छ बल मा वा त्वं साम्बम् अन्यायचेष्टितम् विमोक्ष्यामो न भवतो नोग्रसेनस्य शासनात्

Transliteration

tad gaccha bala mā vā tvaṃ sāmbam anyāyaceṣṭitam vimokṣyāmo na bhavato nograsenasya śāsanāt

Translation

Therefore, go back, O Bala; do not proceed. As for Sāmba, whose conduct is unlawful, we shall not release him at your request, nor shall we transgress the command of Ugrasena.

Word by Word

• tat: then/therefore
• tat: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निपातवत् (particle: therefore/then)

• gaccha: go
• gaccha: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• bala: O Bala (Balarāma)
• bala: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th case), एकवचन; (बलरामस्य सम्बोधन)

• mā: do not
• mā: Pratishedha (Prohibition/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mā (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (prohibitive particle: do not)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive/particle: or/indeed)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; पुरुषवाचक-सर्वनाम

• sāmbam: Sāmba
• sāmbam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāmba (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• anyāyaceṣṭitam: who acted unjustly
• anyāyaceṣṭitam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-nyāya + ceṣṭita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √ceṣṭ/चेष्ट्)
• Form: नञ्-तत्पुरुष (a-nyāya = 'unjust' + ceṣṭita = 'acted/behaved'); भूतकृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (साम्बम्)

• vimokṣyāmaḥ: we will release
• vimokṣyāmaḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-muc (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), परस्मैपदम्, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन

• na: not
• na: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation: not)

• bhavataḥ: of you/your
• bhavataḥ: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; आदरार्थक-सर्वनाम

• na: nor/not
• na: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation: nor/not)

• ugrasenasya: of Ugrasena
• ugrasenasya: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ugrasena (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन

• śāsanāt: from the command/authority
• śāsanāt: Apadana (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case), एकवचन; अपादानार्थे (ablative: from/because of)

Speaker

Royal officers/guards acting under King Ugrasena’s authority (as narrated by Sage Parāśara to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even kinship or personal request (from Bala) cannot override lawful governance when an act is judged adharma.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Set principled boundaries: do not excuse wrongdoing due to relationships; uphold fair procedures and accountability.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma functions as the Lord’s ordinance in society; honoring rightful śāsana expresses alignment with the divine order within the world.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Characters & Entities

• Balarama (Bala/Balarāma)
• Samba (Sāmba)
• Ugrasena

FAQs

What is the significance of Ugrasena’s command in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse highlights rāja-śāsana (royal decree) as a dharmic instrument: even influential figures are expected to respect lawful authority when justice is at stake.

How does Sage Parāśara present dharma in situations involving powerful personalities?

Through narrative restraint—officials refuse to yield to personal request—Parāśara’s account frames dharma as higher than favoritism, reinforcing order within the Yādava polity.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu’s order in this context?

Though Vishnu/Krishna is not named in this line, the episode reflects a Vaishnava ethic: divine rule sustains dharma through legitimate governance, where justice is not overturned by mere power or proximity.