Shloka 13

Kaṃsa’s Council of Asuras and the Strategy Against the ‘Powerful Child’

Devanagari script

तस्माद् बालेषु परमो यत्नः कार्यो महीतले यत्रोद्रिक्तं बलं बाले स हन्तव्यः प्रयत्नतः

Transliteration

tasmād bāleṣu paramo yatnaḥ kāryo mahītale yatrodriktaṃ balaṃ bāle sa hantavyaḥ prayatnataḥ

Translation

Therefore, upon this earth, the utmost vigilance must be kept regarding the young; for wherever excessive power arises in a child, that one must be restrained with deliberate effort—if need be, destroyed—lest the order of the world be overturned.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् पञ्चमी-रूपेण निपातवत्—‘तस्मात्’ (therefore/from that)

• बालेषु: among children
• बालेषु: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचनम्; अधिकरणम् (among/in children)

• परमः: greatest
• परमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; ‘supreme/utmost’

• यत्नः: effort
• यत्नः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्

• कार्यः: must be made
• कार्यः: Vidhi (Obligation predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कार्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; भाव्य)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; विधेय-भाव्यः—‘कर्तव्यः’ (must be made/done)

• महीतले: on the earth’s surface
• महीतले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचनम्; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘महेः तलम्’); अधिकरणम्

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Relative location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक-सम्बन्ध) (relative adverb: where)

• उद्रिक्तम्: excessive
• उद्रिक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद् + रिच् (धातु) → उद्रिक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचनम्; ‘excessive/abundant’ (qualifying बलम्)

• बलम्: strength
• बलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्

• बाले: in a child
• बाले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचनम्; अधिकरणम् (in a child)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्

• हन्तव्यः: must be killed
• हन्तव्यः: Vidhi (Obligation predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु) → हन्तव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; तव्यत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; तव्यत्-प्रत्ययः—‘हन्तव्यः’ (to be killed)

• प्रयत्नतः: with all effort
• प्रयत्नतः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त/तद्धित) — ‘प्रयत्नतः’ = ‘प्रयत्नेन/यत्नपूर्वकं’ (adverb: with effort)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Power without dharma turns vigilance into tyranny, targeting even children under the pretext of ‘world order’.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Beware ideologies that justify cruelty as ‘security’; measure policy by compassion, justice, and protection of the vulnerable.

Vishishtadvaita: Adharma is marked by violence against Bhagavān’s devotees and the innocent; true order aligns with the Lord’s protective intent (rakṣaṇa).

FAQs

What is the significance of restraining excessive power in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames kingship as guardianship of loka-dharma: when power becomes disproportionate and threatens society, it must be checked decisively to preserve universal order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the ruler’s duty in this context?

Parāśara presents governance as vigilant protection—especially against early signs of dangerous strength—so that adharma does not mature into calamity for the realm.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Even without naming Vishnu, the verse aligns with Vaishnava thought: maintaining order (dharma) in the world is service to the Supreme Reality who sustains creation.