Shloka 17

Śakaṭa-bhañjana, Naming by Garga, Dāmodara and Yamala-arjuna, and the Move to Vṛndāvana

Devanagari script

कर्षता वृक्षयोर् मध्ये तिर्यग्गतम् उलूखलम् भग्नाव् उत्तुङ्गशाखाग्रौ तेन तौ यमलार्जुनौ

Transliteration

karṣatā vṛkṣayor madhye tiryaggatam ulūkhalam bhagnāv uttuṅgaśākhāgrau tena tau yamalārjunau

Translation

As He dragged the mortar along, it slipped sideways between the two trees; and by that very force the lofty crown-branches were shattered—so those twin Yamala-arjuna trees were broken down.

Word by Word

• कर्षता: by (him) dragging
• कर्षता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृष् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन (masc. instr. sg.)

• वृक्षयोः: of the two trees
• वृक्षयोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), द्विवचन (masc. genitive 6th, dual)

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन (neuter, locative 7th, singular)

• तिर्यग्गतम्: gone sideways / lying crosswise
• तिर्यग्गतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तिर्यक् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + गत (गम्-धातु, क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (तिर्यक् + गत); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neut. acc. sg.)

• उलूखलम्: the mortar
• उलूखलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उलूखल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन (neut. acc. sg.)

• भग्नौ: broken
• भग्नौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भञ्ज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन (masc. nom. dual)

• उत्तुङ्गशाखाग्रौ: the lofty branch-tops (of the two trees)
• उत्तुङ्गशाखाग्रौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तुङ्ग + शाखा + अग्र (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (उत्तुङ्गाः शाखाः तासाम् अग्रे/अग्रौ); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन (masc. nom. dual)

• तेन: by that / by him
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (instr. sg.)

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम (masc. nom. dual)

• यमलार्जुनौ: the twin Arjuna trees
• यमलार्जुनौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यमल + अर्जुन (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमासः (यमलौ च अर्जुनौ च/यमलार्जुनौ = twin Arjuna trees as a pair-name); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन (masc. nom. dual)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He enacts a childlike feat that breaks the twin trees, releasing the beings bound by a curse and displaying His effortless lordship through līlā.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Grace that liberates the bound; confirmation that bhakti draws the Lord into intimate, world-visible acts.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Yamala-arjuna trees
• mortar (ulūkhala)

FAQs

What is the significance of the Yamala-arjuna trees in the Vishnu Purana?

They embody the theme that the Lord’s mere touch and will can transform a mundane event into liberation—here, the trees’ breaking is the outward sign of an inward release granted by Krishna.

How does Sage Parāśara explain divine action in this episode?

Parāśara narrates it as līlā: Krishna appears bound and childlike, yet His simple movement carries irresistible power, revealing the Lord’s supremacy operating through ordinary forms.

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

Krishna’s effortless breaking of the twin trees highlights Vishnu’s sovereign reality—He may accept apparent limitation, but His divinity remains unconfined and liberative.