Shloka 57

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

Devanagari script

गत्वा च ब्रूहि कौन्तेयम् अर्जुनं वचनान् मम पालनीयस् त्वया शक्त्या जनो ऽयं मत्परिग्रहः

Transliteration

gatvā ca brūhi kaunteyam arjunaṃ vacanān mama pālanīyas tvayā śaktyā jano 'yaṃ matparigrahaḥ

Translation

Go, and convey my words to Arjuna, the son of Kuntī. As far as lies within your power, this people—who are under my protection—must be safeguarded by you.

Word by Word

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गम् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा) → गत्वा
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (पूर्वकालक्रिया)

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

• ब्रूहि: tell, say
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (Imperative action/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• कौन्तेयम्: O son of Kuntī
• कौन्तेयम्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौन्तेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे द्वितीया (addressing)

• अर्जुनम्: Arjuna
• अर्जुनम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• वचनान्: words, instructions
• वचनान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• मम: my
• मम: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• पालनीयः: to be protected; must be safeguarded
• पालनीयः: Vidhi (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाल् (धातु) + अनीयर् (कृत्) → पालनीय (कृत्य-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृत्य (अनीयर्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (जनः)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Kartr (Agent in passive/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• शक्त्या: with (your) power/ability
• शक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; साधन/उपायार्थे

• जनः: the people
• जनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; जनः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• मत्परिग्रहः: my charge; under my protection
• मत्परिग्रहः: Karta (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत् (अस्मद्-षष्ठी ‘मम’) + परिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मम परिग्रहः)

Speaker

Sri Krishna (as conveyed within the narration of Sage Parāśara to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: What message was sent to Arjuna and what duty he was given

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To ensure the protection of His dependents by commissioning Arjuna as guardian at the close of His earthly manifestation.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Kṣatriya-protection (rakṣaṇa) of subjects and preservation of social order

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Those who belong to the Lord (‘mat-parigraha’) are to be protected as a sacred trust; service to devotees is service to Him.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Treat dependents and spiritual community as a trust; protect, support, and advocate for them within your capacity.

Vishishtadvaita: Śeṣa-śeṣin relation: the people are the Lord’s possession; Arjuna acts as śeṣa (instrument) executing the Lord’s intent for His śeṣi (master).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Arjuna
• Kunti (by epithet Kaunteya)
• People (jana)

FAQs

What is the significance of calling the people 'matparigrahaḥ' in the Vishnu Purana?

It frames society as belonging to and protected by the Lord; the ruler’s protection becomes service to Vishnu’s own charge, not merely political duty.

How does the Vishnu Purana present the ideal of kingship in this verse?

Arjuna is instructed to protect the people “to the extent of his power,” defining kingship as dharmic guardianship carried out under divine mandate.

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

Krishna speaks as the supreme sovereign whose protection encompasses all beings; human agency (Arjuna’s strength) operates as an instrument of that higher guardianship.