Shloka 41

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

Devanagari script

मेघपृष्ठे बलाकानां रराज विमला ततिः दुर्वृत्ते वृत्तचेष्टेव कुलीनस्यातिशोभना

Transliteration

meghapṛṣṭhe balākānāṃ rarāja vimalā tatiḥ durvṛtte vṛttaceṣṭeva kulīnasyātiśobhanā

Translation

Against the dark back of the clouds, a spotless line of cranes shone forth—so does noble conduct, radiant and unmistakable, appear even amid the ill‑mannered, as virtue itself set like an ornament.

Word by Word

• मेघपृष्ठे: on the back of the cloud
• मेघपृष्ठे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेघ (प्रातिपदिक) + पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; मेघस्य पृष्ठम् इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; Locative singular (in/on the cloud-back)

• बलाकानाम्: of the cranes
• बलाकानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलाका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; Genitive plural

• रराज: shone
• रराज: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: राज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; ‘shone’

• विमला: pure, spotless
• विमला: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular; विशेषणम्

• ततिः: a row, line
• ततिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular

• दुर्वृत्ते: in/with a wicked (person)
• दुर्वृत्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; Locative singular; विशेषण-रूपेण (in a wicked man)

• वृत्तचेष्टा: proper conduct
• वृत्तचेष्टा: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक) + चेष्टा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—वृत्ता चेष्टा यस्या/या; Nominative singular

• इव: like, as if
• इव: Upama-suchaka (Comparative marker/उपमा-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्ययम् (particle of comparison)

• कुलीनस्य: of a noble (man)
• कुलीनस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुलीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; Genitive singular

• अतिशोभना: very beautiful
• अतिशोभना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतिशोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular; विशेषणम् (tatiḥ इत्यस्य)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya in the standard Vishnu Purana dialogue frame)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Like bright cranes against dark clouds, virtue shines unmistakably even when set amid unworthy conduct.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate visible, consistent good conduct (satācāra) so that it stands out against confusion or social decline.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma as a real attribute of the jīva that can be offered in devotion to the Lord and recognized as auspicious.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Cranes (balākāḥ)
• Clouds (meghāḥ)

FAQs

What is the significance of the cranes on the cloud-backdrop in the Vishnu Purana?

The verse uses the bright line of cranes against dark clouds as a metaphor for dharma: purity and right conduct become most visible when contrasted with disorder or darkness.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the power of virtuous conduct here?

By comparing virtue to an ornament, he implies that righteous behavior confers true radiance and dignity—something that can stand out even when surrounded by or associated with flawed conduct.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the imagery supports the Purana’s central idea: dharma and cosmic harmony ultimately rest upon the Supreme Reality (Vishnu), whose order makes purity meaningful and recognizable.