Shloka 3

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

Devanagari script

वैरानुबन्धं बलवान् स चकार सुरान् प्रति नरकं हतवान् कृष्णो देवराजेन चोदितः

Transliteration

vairānubandhaṃ balavān sa cakāra surān prati narakaṃ hatavān kṛṣṇo devarājena coditaḥ

Translation

Powerful Naraka maintained an unbroken chain of enmity against the gods; urged by the king of the Devas, Śrī Krishna slew Naraka.

Word by Word

• वैर-अनुबन्धम्: continuation of enmity
• वैर-अनुबन्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैर (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुबन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः: तत्पुरुष (वैरस्य अनुबन्धः = continuation of enmity)

• बलवान्: mighty
• बलवान्: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (mighty)

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

• चकार: did, made
• चकार: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; अर्थ: ‘did/made’

• सुरान्: the gods
• सुरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• प्रति: towards, against
• प्रति: Sampradana/Direction (प्रति-योगे लक्ष्य)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपसर्गसदृश/पूर्वसर्ग) = towards/against

• नरकम्: Naraka
• नरकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• हतवान्: having slain
• हतवान्: Kriya (Participial predicate/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्तवत् (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थ: ‘having slain’

• कृष्णः: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• देवराजेन: by the king of the gods (Indra)
• देवराजेन: Karana (Instrument/Agent-instigation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-राज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समासः: तत्पुरुष (देवानां राजा = king of gods, i.e., Indra)

• चोदितः: urged, prompted
• चोदितः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चुद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि: ‘urged/instigated’

Speaker

Sage Parashara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Krishna descends to destroy oppressive asuras like Naraka when urged by Indra, thereby restoring the divine-human balance.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Restoration of deva-protection, righteous sovereignty, and cosmic balance between heaven and earth.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When adharma becomes entrenched and harms gods and mortals, the Lord’s intervention re-establishes balance and rightful order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Support dharma by resisting systemic harm and aligning personal power with protection of the vulnerable.

Vishishtadvaita: The Supreme acts within history through a personal form (Krishna) to uphold cosmic order, showing transcendence joined with immanent governance.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Lakshmi Presence: Bhumi

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Naraka (Narakasura)
• Devas
• Indra (Devaraja)

FAQs

What is the significance of Naraka’s enmity toward the Devas in the Vishnu Purana?

It signals a disruption of cosmic order: sustained hostility against the Devas represents adharma rising to dominance, prompting divine intervention through Krishna.

How does Sage Parashara frame Krishna’s action in this verse?

Parashara presents it as purposeful restoration—Krishna, urged by Indra, removes a powerful threat so that rightful cosmic governance and dharma can continue.

What is the theological importance of Krishna being “urged by Devaraja” here?

It highlights Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty expressed through avatara: even when petitioned by Indra, Krishna acts as the ultimate protector and regulator of the universe, not as a subordinate to the gods.