Shloka 81

अर्जुनस्य अन्त्येष्टि, द्वारकाप्लावनम्, कलिप्रवेशः, कालोपदेशः

Devanagari script

यस्माद् विरूपरूपं मां मत्वा हासावमानना भवतीभिः कृता तस्माद् एषं शापं ददामि वः

Transliteration

yasmād virūparūpaṃ māṃ matvā hāsāvamānanā bhavatībhiḥ kṛtā tasmād eṣaṃ śāpaṃ dadāmi vaḥ

Translation

Because you deemed me misshapen and unseemly, and mocked me with laughter and contempt, therefore I now lay this curse upon you.

Word by Word

• यस्मात्: because (from the fact) that
• यस्मात्: Apadana (Cause-source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन — Ablative singular (‘because of which/from which’)

• विरूपरूपम्: of ugly form
• विरूपरूपम्: Karman (Object qualifier/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरूप + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — qualifying मां; समासः कर्मधारय (विरूपं रूपं यस्य/विरूपरूपम् = of ugly form)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री/पुं (सर्वनाम), द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• मत्वा: having considered
• मत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) — ‘having thought/considered’

• हास: laughter
• हास: Karta (Nominal in compound/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular (part of compound phrase)

• अवमानना: insult
• अवमानना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवमानना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular

• भवतीभिः: by you (ladies)
• भवतीभिः: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Instrumental plural (honorific ‘you ladies’)

• कृता: was done
• कृता: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘done/made’ agreeing with अवमानना

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Sambandha (Causal connective/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावार्थे पञ्चमी-रूपं अव्ययवत् (therefore/from that reason)

• एषम्: this
• एषम्: Karman (Object qualifier/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन — Accusative singular qualifying शापम्

• शापम्: curse
• शापम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• ददामि: I give
• ददामि: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन — ‘I give’

• वः: to you
• वः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (सम्बन्ध/सम्प्रदान), बहुवचन — enclitic ‘of you/to you’ (context: dative recipient)

Speaker

A cursed/insulted divine or semi-divine figure (narrated by Sage Parāśara to Maitreyā) issuing a śāpa in response to ridicule

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Avamāna (contempt) toward a tapasvī, even due to bodily deformity, invites immediate karmic consequence through śāpa as an instrument of dharma.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate reverence and non-derision toward ascetics and the vulnerable; check speech and laughter that demean others.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma operates under the Lord’s governance; embodied differences do not negate the presence of divine order within persons.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

FAQs

What is the significance of a śāpa (curse) in the Vishnu Purana?

In this verse, the śāpa functions as narrative justice: mockery and contempt become the direct cause for a pronounced consequence, reinforcing dharma through cause-and-effect.

How does Sage Parāśara explain moral causality in such episodes?

Through dialogue to Maitreyā, Parāśara presents events as ethically structured: intention and speech (ridicule) are not neutral, and the world’s order responds through immediate narrative retribution.

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

Even when Vishnu is not explicitly named in the verse, the Purāṇic framework assumes a cosmos governed by dharma under the Supreme Lord’s sovereignty, where arrogance and disrespect disturb order and invite correction.