Shloka 14

यादवक्षयः, बलराम-निर्याणम्, कृष्णस्य उपसंहारः (प्रभासे विनाशः)

Devanagari script

विज्ञातपरमार्थो ऽपि भगवान् मधुसूदनः नैच्छत् तद् अन्यथाकर्तुं विधिना यत् समाहितम्

Transliteration

vijñātaparamārtho 'pi bhagavān madhusūdanaḥ naicchat tad anyathākartuṃ vidhinā yat samāhitam

Translation

Though the Blessed Lord Madhusūdana knows the highest truth, He did not wish to make otherwise what vidhi—the law of destiny—had firmly ordained.

Word by Word

• विज्ञातपरमार्थः: knowing the highest truth
• विज्ञातपरमार्थः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विज्ञात (वि + ज्ञा धातु + क्त कृदन्त) + परमार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (possessive: ‘one whose supreme truth is known’/‘knower of the highest truth’); पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनम् (qualifying भगवान्)

• अपि: even though
• अपि: Sambandha (Concessive particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-निपात (even/although)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनम्

• मधुसूदनः: Madhusūdana (slayer of Madhu)
• मधुसूदनः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक) + सूदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘slayer of Madhu’); पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनम् (apposition to भगवान्)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• ऐच्छत्: wished; desired
• ऐच्छत्: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम्

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनम्

• अन्यथाकर्तुम्: to make otherwise; to alter
• अन्यथाकर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय) + कृ (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव (adverbial compound: ‘otherwise-do’); तुमुनन्त (infinitive)

• विधिना: by ordinance; by destiny/law
• विधिना: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचनम् (instrumental)

• यत्: which; what
• यत्: Karta (Subject of relative clause/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनम् (relative pronoun)

• समाहितम्: has been ordained; has been arranged
• समाहितम्: Kriya (Predicate participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + धा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनम् (agreeing with यत्)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Why the omnipotent Lord did not avert the foretold outcome

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Krishna, though omniscient, chooses not to countermand the ordained sequence so that the world may witness the integrity of divine law and the completion of His līlā.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Upholding the inviolability of vidhi and the moral-causal order under divine sovereignty

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The omniscient Lord does not violate the ordained moral-causal order (vidhi); His freedom includes the choice to let karmic law stand.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Cultivate śānti by accepting lawful outcomes while aligning one’s will with dharma and devotion rather than demanding exceptions.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms the Lord as supreme (able to alter) yet immanently governing through steadfast niyama—supporting a qualified non-dual vision where the world-order is His body and rule.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (Madhusudana)

FAQs

What is the significance of vidhi (destiny/ordinance) in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The verse presents vidhi as a settled cosmic ordinance that even the omniscient Lord does not arbitrarily overturn, emphasizing a universe governed by stable moral-cosmic order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine action versus fate in this context?

Parāśara frames the Lord as fully aware of ultimate reality yet choosing to uphold the established course of events, portraying divine governance as preservation of order rather than capricious intervention.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu (Madhusūdana) here?

Vishnu is shown as the supreme, all-knowing ruler who maintains dharma and cosmic stability; His sovereignty is expressed through upholding ordained law, aligning with Vaishnava views of providence.