Shloka 3

साम्ब-हरणम्, बलदेवस्य रोषः, हस्तिनापुर-आकर्षणम्

Devanagari script

मैत्रेय श्रूयतां कर्म यद् रामेणाभवत् कृतम् अनन्तेनाप्रमेयेन शेषेण धरणीभृता

Transliteration

maitreya śrūyatāṃ karma yad rāmeṇābhavat kṛtam anantenāprameyena śeṣeṇa dharaṇībhṛtā

Translation

O Maitreya, listen: I shall relate the deed accomplished by Rāma—brought to completion through Śeṣa, the Earth-bearer, that immeasurable Ananta.

Word by Word

• मैत्रेय: O Maitreya
• मैत्रेय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• श्रूयताम्: let it be heard
• श्रूयताम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कर्म: the deed
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (अत्र) श्रूयताम् इत्यस्य कर्म

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

• रामेण: by Rāma (Balarāma)
• रामेण: Kartr (Agent in passive/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• अभवत्: happened, came to be
• अभवत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कृतम्: done, performed
• कृतम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle, क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भावः

• अनन्तेन: by Ananta
• अनन्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• अप्रमेयेन: immeasurable
• अप्रमेयेन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्रमेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अनन्तेन/शेषेण)

• शेषेण: by Śeṣa
• शेषेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; अनन्तस्य पर्यायः

• धरणीभृता: by the earth-bearer (supporter of the earth)
• धरणीभृता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरणी (प्रातिपदिक) + भृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समासः—धरणीम् भर्तेति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Response to Maitreya’s request: narration of Balarāma’s deed as Ananta-Śeṣa

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative, revealing (tattva-disclosing)

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Avatara Context

Purpose: Balarāma is presented as the manifestation of Ananta-Śeṣa, the earth-bearing power, to participate in the Lord’s līlā and uphold the cosmic order supporting the world.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Stability of the earth (dharaṇī-dhāraṇa) as the cosmic support underlying līlā and dharma.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Balarāma’s deeds are to be understood through his deeper identity as Ananta-Śeṣa, the immeasurable cosmic support of the world under Nārāyaṇa’s sovereignty.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Approach sacred history with tattva-buddhi—seeing divine manifestations behind events—cultivating steady reverence rather than mere curiosity.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms a personal, attribute-rich divine order where cosmic functions (like supporting the earth) are real powers of the Lord and his divine associates, not illusory.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Vyuha Form: Sankarshana

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Rama
• Ananta
• Earth (Dharani)

FAQs

What is the significance of Ananta-Śeṣa being called the bearer of the Earth in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames history and kingship as resting on cosmic foundations: Śeṣa (Ananta) is the divine support of the world, indicating that worldly events—like Rāma’s deeds—are upheld by transcendent order.

How does Sage Parāśara present Rāma’s actions in this chapter’s narrative?

Parāśara introduces Rāma’s deed as something to be formally “heard,” signaling a purāṇic teaching moment where royal history is interpreted through divine agency rather than mere human effort.

What is the theological importance of emphasizing 'aprameya' (immeasurable) in this context?

By calling Ananta-Śeṣa “immeasurable,” the text points to the boundless divine power behind the visible narrative, aligning the account with Vaishnava metaphysics where the Supreme’s potency exceeds ordinary measure and comprehension.