Shloka 9

कालियदमना: यमुनाशुद्धिः, करुणा-निग्रहः, स्तुति-तत्त्वम्

Devanagari script

एतदर्थं नृलोके ऽस्मिन्न् अवतारो मया कृतः यद् एषाम् उत्पथस्थानां कार्या शान्तिर् दुरात्मनाम्

Transliteration

etadarthaṃ nṛloke 'sminn avatāro mayā kṛtaḥ yad eṣām utpathasthānāṃ kāryā śāntir durātmanām

Translation

For this very purpose have I assumed an incarnation in the world of men: that the wicked, who have strayed onto the path of error, may be restrained and brought to peace.

Word by Word

• एतदर्थम्: for this purpose
• एतदर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एतद् + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (adverbial: ‘for this purpose’)

• नृलोके: in the world of men
• नृलोके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ + लोक (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (नॄणां लोकः)

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंस, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अवतारः: descent/incarnation
• अवतारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अव + तॄ (धातु) → अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• कृतः: made/undertaken
• कृतः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि (made/done)

• यत्: because/that
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (‘because/that’)

• एषाम्: of these
• एषाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंस, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• उत्पथस्थानाम्: of those who stand on the wrong path
• उत्पथस्थानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्पथ + स्थान (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (उत्पथे स्थानं येषाम्/उत्पथस्य स्थानम्)

• कार्या: to be done/should be effected
• कार्या: Vidhi (विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कार्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भाव्य/कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (gerundive/यत्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• शान्तिः: peace/cessation
• शान्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• दुरात्मनाम्: of the evil-minded
• दुरात्मनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर् + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (दुरात्मानः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking in the narrative as the divine voice/actor explaining the purpose of avatara)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The theological rationale for Bhagavān’s avatāra and its dharmic function.

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Krishna states that his descent among humans is to restrain wicked beings who have deviated onto erroneous paths and to establish peace.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Re-establishment of śānti through the curbing of adharma and correction of deviants.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Avatāra is undertaken for loka-saṅgraha: restraining the wicked and establishing peace so dharma may prevail.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Interpret spiritual leadership as service to social harmony—reduce harm, correct error, and protect the vulnerable without hatred.

Vishishtadvaita: The Supreme (Nārāyaṇa/Para-Brahman) freely assumes accessible embodiment to govern and uplift the world, sustaining it as inner ruler and outer protector.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Wicked beings (duratmanah)
• Humankind (nrloka)

FAQs

What is the significance of Vishnu’s avatara (incarnation) in this verse of the Vishnu Purana?

The verse states that the avatara is undertaken to restore order by restraining and pacifying those who have deviated into wrongdoing, so dharma may prevail in the human world.

How does the Vishnu Purana frame the correction of the wicked in this context?

It presents correction as “śānti” (pacification/bringing to peace): not merely punishment, but the divine re-establishment of moral and social equilibrium by removing disruptive adharma.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is portrayed as the supreme governor of cosmic and human order, freely assuming embodiment to protect the world and redirect beings from the wrong path toward stability and dharma.