Shloka 69

अर्जुनस्य अन्त्येष्टि, द्वारकाप्लावनम्, कलिप्रवेशः, कालोपदेशः

Devanagari script

पार्थैतत् सर्वभूतस्य हरेर् लीलाविचेष्टितम् त्वया यत् कौरवा ध्वस्ता यद् आभीरैर् भवाञ् जितः

Transliteration

pārthaitat sarvabhūtasya harer līlāviceṣṭitam tvayā yat kauravā dhvastā yad ābhīrair bhavāñ jitaḥ

Translation

O Pārtha, this is but the līlā of Hari—the indwelling Lord of all beings: through you the Kauravas were destroyed, and you, in turn, were overcome by the Ābhīras; in victory and defeat alike, His play alone unfolds.

Word by Word

• पार्थ: O Pārtha
• पार्थ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन — ‘O Pārtha’

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma/Subject complement (प्रकरणानुसार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन — ‘this’

• सर्वभूतस्य: of all beings
• सर्वभूतस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन — ‘of all beings’ (collective)

• हरेः: of Hari
• हरेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन — ‘of Hari’

• लीलाविचेष्टितम्: a sportive deed
• लीलाविचेष्टितम्: Predicate noun (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला (प्रातिपदिक) + विचेष्टित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; वि-चेष्ट्/चेष्ट् धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन — ‘playful act/deed’

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन — ‘by you’

• यत्: that (in which)
• यत्: Relative connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन — ‘that/which’ (relative)

• कौरवाः: the Kauravas
• कौरवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन — ‘Kauravas’

• ध्वस्ताः: were destroyed
• ध्वस्ताः: Predicate participle (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्वंस् (धातु) → ध्वस्त (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — ‘destroyed’

• यत्: and that (wherein)
• यत्: Relative connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन — ‘and that/whereas’ (relative)

• आभीरैः: by the Ābhīras
• आभीरैः: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive sense/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आभीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन — ‘by the Ābhīras’

• भवान्: you
• भवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — ‘you (honorific)’

• जितः: were defeated
• जितः: Predicate participle (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि (धातु) → जित (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘conquered/defeated’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya; addressing Arjuna as an exemplar within the narration)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Meaning of Arjuna’s victory and subsequent defeat as Hari’s līlā and antaryāmin governance

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He manifests his līlā by directing victory and defeat to accomplish cosmic rebalancing and instruct beings in dependence on Hari.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Recognition of divine lordship behind historical events; humility and dharmic orientation

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: All outcomes—victory and defeat—are the līlā of Hari, the indwelling Lord of all beings.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Practice īśvara-prāṇidhāna: offer results to Hari, remain steady in success and failure, and see events as providential instruction.

Vishishtadvaita: Hari as sarva-bhūta-antaryāmin whose līlā operates through real agents, integrating divine sovereignty with jīva agency

Dynasty & Genealogy

Vamsha: Chandra

Key Kings: Arjuna, Kauravas

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu/Krishna)
• Partha (Arjuna)
• Abhiras

FAQs

What is the significance of Krishna’s līlā in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames major historical outcomes—like the destruction of the Kauravas and Arjuna’s later defeat—as expressions of Hari’s līlā, emphasizing divine sovereignty behind apparent human agency.

How does Sage Parāśara explain victory and defeat in this context?

Parāśara presents both triumph and loss as governed by the Lord who pervades all beings; humans act as instruments, while the ultimate dispensation belongs to Hari.

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

Hari is portrayed as the supreme, all-pervading ruler whose will operates through events, aligning with Vaishnava philosophy that the Lord remains the ultimate cause even when actions appear purely worldly.