Shloka 4

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

Devanagari script

करिष्ये सर्वदेवानां तस्माद् एष प्रतिक्रियाम् यज्ञविध्वंसनं कुर्वन् मर्त्यलोकक्षयं तथा

Transliteration

kariṣye sarvadevānāṃ tasmād eṣa pratikriyām yajñavidhvaṃsanaṃ kurvan martyalokakṣayaṃ tathā

Translation

“Therefore, for the good of all the gods, I shall undertake a counter-measure against him—against this destroyer of sacrifice—who, while shattering the rites, brings ruin upon the world of mortals as well.”

Word by Word

• करिष्ये: I will do
• करिष्ये: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; अर्थ: ‘I shall do’

• सर्वदेवानाम्: of all the gods
• सर्वदेवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः: तत्पुरुष (सर्वे देवाः)

• तस्मात्: therefore, from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेतौ/तस्मात् (therefore/from that)

• एषः: this (one)
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रतिक्रियाम्: a countermeasure, retaliation
• प्रतिक्रियाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति-क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः: तत्पुरुष (प्रतिः क्रिया = counter-action)

• यज्ञ-विध्वंसनम्: destruction of sacrifices
• यज्ञ-विध्वंसनम्: Karma (Object in apposition/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + विध्वंसन (वि + ध्वंस् (धातु) → ल्युट्/करणार्थक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः: तत्पुरुष (यज्ञानां विध्वंसनम् = destruction of sacrifices)

• कुर्वन्: doing, while doing
• कुर्वन्: Karta (Subject participle/कर्तृभाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थ: ‘doing/while doing’

• मर्त्य-लोक-क्षयम्: destruction of the mortal world
• मर्त्य-लोक-क्षयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः: तत्पुरुष (मर्त्यानां लोकः = mortal world; तस्य क्षयः)

• तथा: thus, and also
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = thus/also/and so

Speaker

Likely a deity/guardian speaking within Parasara’s narration to Maitreya (a resolve to counter an asuric disruption of yajña)

Cosmological Context

Manvantara: Vaivasvata

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Yajña and dharmic rites are portrayed as world-sustaining; their destruction is a cosmic-social crisis requiring decisive righteous response.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Protect the ‘yajña principle’ today by sustaining ethical duties, communal responsibility, and disciplined worship that supports social harmony.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma (including yajña) is upheld as service to the Supreme, integrating worldly order with devotion—an immanent sacred economy under the Lord’s governance.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Characters & Entities

• Devas (Sarvadevāḥ)
• Yajña (sacrificial order)
• Martya-loka (mortal world)

FAQs

What is the significance of yajña (sacrifice) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse treats yajña as a sustaining principle of cosmic order; its destruction is portrayed as causing harm not only to the gods’ stability but also to the mortal world’s welfare.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the response to forces that disrupt dharma?

Through embedded speeches like this, the narrative shows that when dharma-supporting institutions (like yajña) are attacked, a deliberate pratikriyā—lawful counter-action—is undertaken to restore balance.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when the verse speaks in the voice of a divine agent, the Purāṇic framework implies Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty: restoration of yajña and protection of martya-loka ultimately align with Vishnu’s preserving power.