Shloka 15

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

Devanagari script

देवैश् च प्रहितो दूतः प्रणिपत्याह केशवम् रहस्य् एवम् अहं दूतः प्रहितो भगवन् सुरैः

Transliteration

devaiś ca prahito dūtaḥ praṇipatyāha keśavam rahasy evam ahaṃ dūtaḥ prahito bhagavan suraiḥ

Translation

A messenger sent by the gods bowed down and spoke to Keśava in confidence: “So it is, O Bhagavān; I am the envoy dispatched to You by the Suras.”

Word by Word

• देवैः: by the gods
• देवैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

• प्रहितः: sent, dispatched
• प्रहितः: Karta-anvaya (Predicate adjective to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-हिता (कृदन्त; √हि/हिण् ‘प्रेषणे’/to send, causative sense)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Past passive participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दूतः: messenger
• दूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रणिपत्य: having prostrated
• प्रणिपत्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र-नि-√पत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), ‘having bowed down’

• आह: said
• आह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अह्/√ब्रू (धातु; ‘वचने’ to speak)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Perfect, 3rd person, Singular

• केशवम्: to Keshava
• केशवम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• रहसि: secretly
• रहसि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रहस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग/क्रियाविशेषण (locative used adverbially) — adverb: ‘in secret’

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Pronoun, Nominative, Singular

• दूतः: (am) a messenger
• दूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रहितः: sent
• प्रहितः: Karta-anvaya (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-हिता (कृदन्त; √हि/हिण् ‘प्रेषणे’)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Past passive participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भगवन्: O Lord
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन — Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सुरैः: by the gods
• सुरैः: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

A divine messenger (deva-dūta) addressing Lord Krishna/Keśava

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: The gods send an envoy to petition Keśava regarding the divine mission connected with his descent.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Coordination between devas and Bhagavān for loka-saṃgraha (upholding cosmic order).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Approaching Bhagavān with humility and surrendered speech is the proper mode of divine petition.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate praṇipāta (humble reverence) and truthful, restrained communication in prayer and service.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhagavān is personally accessible and responsive to devoted supplication, not an impersonal absolute.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Keśava (Vishnu/Krishna)
• Devas (Suras)
• Bhagavan

FAQs

What is the significance of the gods sending a messenger to Keśava in the Vishnu Purana?

It signals that even the Devas depend on Vishnu/Keśava as the highest authority to restore dharma and cosmic order when they are unable to resolve a crisis themselves.

How does the dialogue structure frame this verse within the Vishnu Purana?

Although the Purana is broadly narrated by Sage Parāśara to Maitreya, this verse occurs within an embedded narrative scene where a deva-messenger directly addresses Keśava, advancing the plot through a formal petition.

What is the theological importance of calling Krishna "Bhagavan" here?

The epithet underscores Krishna/Keśava as the Supreme Lord—worthy of prostration and the final refuge of gods—aligning with Vaishnava theology that treats Vishnu as the ultimate reality governing all celestial powers.