Shloka 19

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

Devanagari script

भग्नस्कन्धौ निपतितौ भग्नशाखौ महीतले नवोद्गताल्पदन्तांशुसितहासं च बालकम् तयोर् मध्यगतं बद्धं दाम्ना गाढं तथोदरे

Transliteration

bhagnaskandhau nipatitau bhagnaśākhau mahītale navodgatālpadantāṃśusitahāsaṃ ca bālakam tayor madhyagataṃ baddhaṃ dāmnā gāḍhaṃ tathodare

Translation

Both trunks lay shattered, and their broken branches had crashed upon the earth. And there, between them, was a little child—smiling with a bright, milk-white laugh, his newly sprouting teeth gleaming like rays—yet bound fast with a rope, tightly tied about his belly.

Word by Word

• भग्नस्कन्धौ: with broken trunks
• भग्नस्कन्धौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भग्न (भञ्ज्-धातु, क्त) + स्कन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (भग्नौ स्कन्धौ यस्य/ययोः); क्त-कृदन्तपूर्वपद; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन (masc. nom. dual)

• निपतितौ: fallen down
• निपतितौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-√पत् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन (masc. nom. dual)

• भग्नशाखौ: with broken branches
• भग्नशाखौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भग्न (भञ्ज्-धातु, क्त) + शाखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (भग्नाः शाखाः ययोः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन (masc. nom. dual)

• महीतले: on the ground
• महीतले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही + तल (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (मही-तल); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन (neut. loc. sg.)

• नवोद्गताल्पदन्तांशुसितहासम्: having a bright white smile from newly emerged tiny teeth
• नवोद्गताल्पदन्तांशुसितहासम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव-उद्गत + अल्प + दन्त + अंशु + सित + हास (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (नवोद्गताः अल्पाः दन्तांशवः, तैः सितः हासः यस्य = whose smile is white with newly emerged small teeth-rays); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neut. acc. sg.; qualifying बालकम्)

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

• बालकम्: the child
• बालकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन (masc. acc. sg.)

• तयोः: of those two (trees)
• तयोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम (gen. dual)

• मध्यगतम्: situated in the middle (between them)
• मध्यगतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (गम्-धातु, क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (मध्ये गत); क्त-कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neut. acc. sg.; qualifying बालकम्)

• बद्धम्: bound
• बद्धम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neut. acc. sg.; qualifying बालकम्)

• दाम्ना: with a rope
• दाम्ना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन (neut. instr. sg.)

• गाढम्: tightly/firmly
• गाढम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गाढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (neut. acc. sg.; used adverbially)

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha/Adverbial (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (indeclinable; thus/so)

• उदरे: on/at the belly
• उदरे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन (neut. loc. sg.)

Speaker

Sage Parashara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He reveals the paradox of omnipotence within childlike vulnerability—remaining bound yet accomplishing the impossible—thereby intensifying devotees’ loving awe.

Leela: Bala

Dharma Restored: Demonstration that the Lord accepts ‘bondage’ out of love while remaining sovereign; bhakti-centered order of reality.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna (child)
• Yamala-Arjuna trees

FAQs

What is the significance of the two broken trees in this Vishnu Purana verse?

The fallen, shattered trees frame the moment of divine intervention: Krishna is seen between them, indicating that the event is not random destruction but a purposeful act within Vishnu’s lila, commonly understood as leading to deliverance and revelation of divine power.

How does Sage Parashara explain the bound child in this scene?

Parashara narrates the striking contrast: the child appears innocent and radiant, yet is tightly bound at the belly—highlighting the paradox of the Supreme (Vishnu as Krishna) appearing within human-like constraints while remaining the ultimate controller of events.

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

The verse underscores Vishnu’s supremacy expressed through lila: even when appearing as a child subject to binding, the divine presence governs outcomes, supporting Vaishnava readings where the Supreme Reality engages the world to uplift beings and reveal dharma through narrative.