Shloka 20

साम्ब-हरणम्, बलदेवस्य रोषः, हस्तिनापुर-आकर्षणम्

Devanagari script

मत्तः कोपेन चाघूर्णस् ततो ऽधिक्षेपजन्मना उत्थाय पार्ष्ण्या वसुधां जघान स हलायुधः

Transliteration

mattaḥ kopena cāghūrṇas tato 'dhikṣepajanmanā utthāya pārṣṇyā vasudhāṃ jaghāna sa halāyudhaḥ

Translation

Then Halāyudha (Balarāma), reeling in drunken wrath and provoked by an insult, sprang up and struck the earth with his heel, as though the very ground itself trembled.

Word by Word

• मत्तः: from (being) enraged/intoxicated
• मत्तः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मद् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्) / मत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘मत्त’ (intoxicated/angered) इत्यस्य अपादानार्थक प्रयोग

• कोपेन: with anger
• कोपेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• आघूर्णः: whirling, agitated
• आघूर्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-घूर्ण् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्) / आघूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि/भावे कृदन्तार्थक विशेषण

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Modifier (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) — तस्मात्/तदनन्तरम्

• अधिक्षेपजन्मना: due to (anger) born of insult
• अधिक्षेपजन्मना: Hetu/Reason (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिक्षेप + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तृतीया-हेतौ/करणे; तत्पुरुष—‘अधिक्षेपात् जन्म’ (insult-born)

• उत्थाय: having risen
• उत्थाय: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत्-स्था (धातु) + ल्यप् (अव्यय-कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• पार्ष्ण्या: with (his) heel
• पार्ष्ण्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्ष्णि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वसुधाम्: the earth, ground
• वसुधाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जघान: struck
• जघान: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हलायुधः: Halāyudha (Balarāma, ‘plough-weaponed’)
• हलायुधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हल + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष—‘हलम् आयुधं यस्य’ (बहुव्रीह्यर्थे उपाधि)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: vivid

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Krishna’s divine descent includes empowering his associates like Balarāma to subdue arrogant rulers and protect the Yadu cause through overwhelming force when dharma is insulted.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Restoration of kṣatra-tejas under dharma—punishing insult and protecting Hari’s lineage from coercion.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Insult can ignite destructive anger; strength must be governed by dharma lest power become mere violence.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Recognize triggers and avoid intoxication of mind or substance; cultivate restraint so that force is used only for protection and justice.

Vishishtadvaita: Saṅkarṣaṇa/Balarāma embodies divine might within the world—power as a śakti of Bhagavān meant for loka-rakṣaṇa, not egoic display.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Vyuha Form: Sankarshana

Characters & Entities

• Balarama (Halayudha)
• Earth (Vasudha)

FAQs

What is the significance of Balarama striking the earth in the Vishnu Purana?

It dramatizes divine sovereignty: a mere heel-strike from Halāyudha can disturb the earth, showing superhuman authority that supports (and can correct) worldly order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain anger and provocation in this episode?

Parāśara frames the action as arising from intoxication and insult, highlighting how a momentary surge of passion in a divine narrative becomes a cosmic-scale event with consequences for the world.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu in this context?

Even when the verse names Balarāma, the Purāṇic lens treats such power as operating within Vishnu’s avatāra framework—divinity acting in history to uphold and reassert dharma over the earth.