Shloka 4

साम्ब-हरणम्, बलदेवस्य रोषः, हस्तिनापुर-आकर्षणम्

Devanagari script

दुर्योधनस्य तनयां स्वयंवरकृतक्षणाम् बलाद् आदत्तवान् वीरः साम्बो जाम्बवतीसुतः

Transliteration

duryodhanasya tanayāṃ svayaṃvarakṛtakṣaṇām balād ādattavān vīraḥ sāmbo jāmbavatīsutaḥ

Translation

At the very moment Duryodhana’s daughter began her svayaṃvara, the heroic Sāmba—son of Jāmbavatī—seized her by force and carried her away.

Word by Word

• दुर्योधनस्य: of Duryodhana
• दुर्योधनस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• तनयाम्: daughter
• तनयाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्वयंवरकृतक्षणाम्: (her) whose moment was made at the svayaṃvara (i.e., at the time of the self-choice)
• स्वयंवरकृतक्षणाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वयंवर (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृदन्त, क्त) + क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—स्वयंवरे कृतः क्षणः यस्याः सा (सप्तमी/अधिकरण-तत्पुरुष; बहुव्रीह्यर्थे विशेषणवत्)

• बलात्: by force
• बलात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः ‘बलात्’ = बलपूर्वकं

• आदत्तवान्: took away, seized
• आदत्तवान्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दा (धातु) → आदत्तवत् (कृदन्त, क्तवतुँ)
• Form: कर्तरि कृदन्त (Perfective active participle, क्तवतुँ); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वीरः: the hero
• वीरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (साम्बस्य विशेषणरूपेण)

• साम्बः: Sāmba
• साम्बः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• जाम्बवतीसुतः: son of Jāmbavatī
• जाम्बवतीसुतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाम्बवती (प्रातिपदिक) + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—जाम्बवत्याः सुतः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating) to Maitreya

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Narration of Balarāma/Śeṣa-related events leading into the Sāmba episode with the Kurus

Teaching: Historical

Quality: matter-of-fact, narrative

Dynasty & Genealogy

Vamsha: Chandra

Key Kings: Duryodhana

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Characters & Entities

• Duryodhana
• Sāmba
• Jāmbavatī
• Kuru lineage
• Yādava lineage

FAQs

What is the significance of the svayaṃvara episode in the Vishnu Purana’s dynastic sections?

It highlights how marriage alliances and violations of royal norms shape conflicts between lineages, advancing the Purana’s account of political causality in the Kuru and Yādava histories.

How does Sage Parāśara present the Kuru–Yādava relationship in this context?

Through concrete incidents—like Sāmba’s forcible abduction—Parāśara frames the relationship as politically charged, where personal acts trigger broader inter-dynastic consequences.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here, if Vishnu is not named in the verse?

Even in royal chronicles, the Vishnu Purana situates history within divine order: Sāmba’s identity as Krishna’s son ties dynastic events to the Vishnu-centered avatāra framework that undergirds the Purana’s view of sovereignty and fate.