Shloka 12

तालवन-उद्धारः: धेनुकासुरवधः, फल-समृद्धिः, गो-क्षेमः

Devanagari script

क्षणेनालंकृता पृथ्वी पक्वैस् तालफलैस् तथा दैत्यगर्दभदेहैश् च मैत्रेय शुशुभे ऽधिकम्

Transliteration

kṣaṇenālaṃkṛtā pṛthvī pakvais tālaphalais tathā daityagardabhadehaiś ca maitreya śuśubhe 'dhikam

Translation

In a single moment, O Maitreya, the earth was adorned—strewn with ripe palm fruits and also with the bodies of the donkey-formed Daityas—so that she shone all the more.

Word by Word

• क्षणेन: in a moment; instantly
• क्षणेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन — Instrumental singular (by/in a moment)

• अलंकृता: adorned
• अलंकृता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अलंकृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/कर्मणि प्रयोग — Past passive participle, nominative singular feminine (adorned)

• पृथ्वी: the earth
• पृथ्वी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथ्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nominative singular feminine

• पक्वैः: with ripe
• पक्वैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पक्व (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-विशेषण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural neuter (with ripe ...)

• तालफलैः: with palm-fruits
• तालफलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताल + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural neuter; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तालस्य फलानि)

• तथा: and also; likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/उपमानार्थ — Indeclinable adverb/conj. “and also/likewise”

• दैत्यगर्दभदेहैः: with the bodies of the demon-ass(es)
• दैत्यगर्दभदेहैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य + गर्दभ + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural masculine; बहु-तत्पुरुष (दैत्यस्य गर्दभदेहाः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थ — Conjunction “and”

• मैत्रेय: O Maitreya
• मैत्रेय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Vocative singular masculine

• शुशुभे: shone; appeared splendid
• शुशुभे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुभ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद — Perfect, 3rd person singular, middle

• अधिकम्: more; exceedingly
• अधिकम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तुलनार्थ/अधिकरणार्थ — Indeclinable adverb “more/exceedingly”

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa descends to protect Vraja and relieve the earth of demonic oppression by destroying the asuric forces that terrorize the cowherds.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Safety of Vraja’s pastoral order (gopāla-dharma) and unobstructed enjoyment of the forest’s fruits for the righteous.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When Bhagavān removes adharma, the very earth becomes ‘ornamented’—prosperity and beauty follow the restoration of dharmic order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Treat protection of the vulnerable and removal of harm as a devotional act, and recognize that true prosperity follows ethical order.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhagavān’s līlā is not illusory: His embodied action in the world realigns the cosmos while remaining the transcendent Lord.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Daityas

FAQs

What is the significance of the earth being described as 'adorned' in this verse of the Vishnu Purana?

It frames the aftermath of conflict as a restoration of cosmic order, using vivid imagery where even destruction is narrated as part of the earth’s rebalancing and renewed splendor.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the narrative to Maitreya here?

Parāśara speaks directly to Maitreya, presenting a rapid, scene-setting description that emphasizes immediacy (kṣaṇena) and the visible results of the preceding event.

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

Even when not named in the verse, the Purana’s framework treats such reordering of the world as occurring under Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty—conflict and resolution serving dharma within His cosmic rule.