Shloka 18

द्विविद-वधः, यज्ञ-विध्वंस-निवारणम्, बलदेव-पराक्रम-समाहारः

Devanagari script

आपतन् मुसलं चासौ समुल्लङ्घ्य प्लवंगमः वेगेनागम्य रोषेण तलेनोरस्य् अताडयत्

Transliteration

āpatan musalaṃ cāsau samullaṅghya plavaṃgamaḥ vegenāgamya roṣeṇa talenorasy atāḍayat

Translation

Leaping clean over the rushing pestle, the swift-moving plavaṅgama sprang forward with speed; and, inflamed with wrath, he struck him hard upon the chest with the palm of his hand.

Word by Word

• आपतत्: fell/was coming down
• आपतत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-पत् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदी; छन्दसि/पाठभेदे ‘आपतन्’ इति रूपम्

• मुसलम्: the club
• मुसलम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुसल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तृवत् (पतने)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/conjunction)

• असौ: that one (he)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• समुल्लङ्घ्य: having leapt over
• समुल्लङ्घ्य: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उत्-लङ्घ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त/gerund) — ‘having leapt over’

• प्लवंगमः: the monkey (Dvivida)
• प्लवंगमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्लवंगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• वेगेन: with speed
• वेगेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; साधन/रीति (with speed)

• आगम्य: having come near
• आगम्य: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त/gerund) — ‘having come/approached’

• रोषेण: with rage
• रोषेण: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; हेतु/भाव (in anger)

• तलेन: with (his) palm
• तलेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; साधनम् (with the palm)

• उरस्य: on the chest
• उरस्य: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरणम् (locative)

• अताडयत्: struck, beat
• अताडयत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ताड् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदी

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Characters & Entities

• Sri Krishna
• Musala (pestle/club weapon)
• Plavaṅgama (a swift leaping combatant)

FAQs

What is the significance of the musala (pestle/club) in this Vishnu Purana verse?

Here the musala functions as a concrete emblem of force in battle; the verse highlights how the opponent’s agility and anger respond to a direct weapon-attack, intensifying the narrative of conflict around Krishna’s circle.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the action in this verse within the dialogue structure?

Parāśara narrates the sequence as a rapid chain of motions—weapon rushing in, the leap over it, and the retaliatory palm-strike—typical of his concise battlefield reportage to Maitreya.

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

Even in martial description, the Vishnu Purana frames Krishna’s world as governed by a higher sovereignty: conflict and its outcomes unfold within the Lord’s līlā, ultimately serving the restoration and protection of dharma.