Shloka 25

अर्जुनस्य अन्त्येष्टि, द्वारकाप्लावनम्, कलिप्रवेशः, कालोपदेशः

Devanagari script

अचिन्तयच् च कौन्तेयः कृष्णस्यैव हि तद् बलम् यन् मया शरसंघातैः सकला भूभृतो जिताः

Transliteration

acintayac ca kaunteyaḥ kṛṣṇasyaiva hi tad balam yan mayā śarasaṃghātaiḥ sakalā bhūbhṛto jitāḥ

Translation

Kuntī’s son reflected: “Truly, this is Krishna’s own power—that by the volleys of arrows loosed by me, all the mighty kings were conquered.”

Word by Word

• अचिन्तयत्: (he) thought/considered
• अचिन्तयत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

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

• कौन्तेयः: son of Kuntī (Arjuna)
• कौन्तेयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौन्तेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• कृष्णस्य: of Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी (genitive/6th), एकवचन (singular)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle: 'indeed/only')

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चयार्थक-निपात (particle: 'for/indeed')

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Determiner/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (nominative/accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• बलम्: strength, power
• बलम्: Karma/Pratipādya (Object/Predicate-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (nominative/accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• यत्: which/that (relative)
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative connector/यद्-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (nominative/accusative), एकवचन (singular); सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम (1st person pronoun), तृतीया (instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (singular)

• शर-संघातैः: with volleys of arrows
• शर-संघातैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक) + संघात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (arrows’ mass = shower/cluster of arrows)

• सकलाः: all, entire
• सकलाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• भूभृतः: kings (earth-bearers)
• भूभृतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूभृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• जिताः: were conquered/defeated
• जिताः: Kriya (Result state/क्रिया-फल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि (धातु) → जित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya; verse reports Arjuna’s inner reflection)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Krishna’s presence makes dharma-victory possible by empowering his devotee-warrior and ensuring the defeat of opposing kings.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Kshatriya-dharma aligned with divine will; victory attributed to Bhagavat’s śakti rather than mere human prowess

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even heroic accomplishments are ultimately the manifestation of Bhagavān Krishna’s power, recognized through humility.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Attribute successes to divine grace, reducing ego and strengthening devotion and gratitude.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord’s śakti operates through the jīva as an instrument—divine immanence without erasing individual agency.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna (Kaunteya)
• Krishna
• Kings (Bhūbhṛtaḥ)

FAQs

What is the significance of Krishna’s power in this verse of the Vishnu Purana?

The verse frames Arjuna’s victories as ultimately grounded in Krishna’s divine potency, emphasizing Bhagavan as the hidden sovereign behind worldly outcomes.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine agency through Arjuna’s actions here?

By reporting Arjuna’s reflection, the narration shows a layered agency: Arjuna fights as the visible instrument, while Krishna is acknowledged as the true enabling strength.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu (as Krishna) in this context?

Krishna is presented as the supreme reality whose grace empowers dharmic action, supporting a Vaishnava view that God’s will and power sustain order even in heroic warfare.