Shloka 9

साम्ब-हरणम्, बलदेवस्य रोषः, हस्तिनापुर-आकर्षणम्

Devanagari script

बलम् आगतम् आज्ञाय भूपा दुर्योधनादयः गाम् अर्घ्यम् उदकं चैव रामाय प्रत्यवेदयन्

Transliteration

balam āgatam ājñāya bhūpā duryodhanādayaḥ gām arghyam udakaṃ caiva rāmāya pratyavedayan

Translation

Learning that Bala had arrived, the kings—Duryodhana and the others—presented to Rāma the customary honors of welcome: a cow, arghya, and water.

Word by Word

• balam: Bala (Baladeva)
• balam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; (Baladeva as object of knowing)

• āgatam: arrived
• āgatam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√gam (गम् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of balam)

• ājñāya: having learned
• ājñāya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√jñā (ज्ञा धातु) + ktvā/ल्यप् (क्त्वा-समर्थ)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय-भावकृदन्त (gerund), अर्थः—ज्ञात्वा (having learned/known)

• bhūpāḥ: kings
• bhūpāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), बहुवचन

• duryodhana-ādayaḥ: Duryodhana and others
• duryodhana-ādayaḥ: Apposition (Samānādhikaraṇa/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duryodhana (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; -आदि-तत्पुरुष (Duryodhana and others) अपपद-समूहवाचक

• gām: a cow
• gām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• arghyam: honorary offering
• arghyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arghya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• udakam: water
• udakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic/indeed)

• rāmāya: to Rāma (Baladeva)
• rāmāya: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; (to Rāma = Baladeva)

• pratyavedayan: they offered/presented
• pratyavedayan: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-√vid (विद् धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even rivals must uphold dharma through proper reception and respectful speech, which preserves social order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Maintain civility and due process in conflicts; honor the person even while disputing the issue.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma is a mode of divine order; social rituals (like arghya) become instruments of harmony within the Lord’s governance.

Characters & Entities

• Duryodhana
• Kings (bhūpāḥ)
• Rama

FAQs

What is the significance of offering arghya, water, and a cow in the Vishnu Purana?

In this verse, these items function as formal tokens of royal hospitality and recognition, signaling lawful reception and adherence to kshatriya-dharma within a courtly setting.

How does Sage Parāśara frame political order in dynastic episodes like this?

By highlighting ritual protocol and public acknowledgment—kings act collectively, follow established rites of welcome, and thereby display the disciplined order that sustains sovereignty.

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

Even in genealogical and political narration, the Purana’s worldview treats righteous order (dharma) as ultimately grounded in the Supreme Reality—Vishnu—so correct royal conduct becomes part of maintaining cosmic and social harmony.