Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

इति गोपकुमाराणां श्रुत्वा संकर्षणो वचः कृष्णश् च पातयाम् आस भुवि तालफलानि वै

Transliteration

iti gopakumārāṇāṃ śrutvā saṃkarṣaṇo vacaḥ kṛṣṇaś ca pātayām āsa bhuvi tālaphalāni vai

Translation

Hearing the words of the cowherd boys, Saṅkarṣaṇa—and Kṛṣṇa as well—made the palm fruits fall upon the earth, as though in effortless divine play.

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यादि-उक्त्यर्थक (quotative particle: thus)

• gopakumārāṇām: of the cowherd boys
• gopakumārāṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gopa + kumāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (gopānāṃ kumārāḥ: ‘boys of the cowherds’)

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Hetu/पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); धातु: श्रु (to hear)

• saṃkarṣaṇaḥ: Saṃkarṣaṇa (Balarāma)
• saṃkarṣaṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃkarṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• vacaḥ: the words
• vacaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• kṛṣṇaḥ: Kṛṣṇa
• kṛṣṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction: and)

• pātayām: (to) make fall
• pātayām: Kriya (Verbal complement/क्रिया-पूर्ति)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pat (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोजक-धातु (causative stem पातय- from पत्); तुमुन्-लोप/आमन्त-प्रयोगः (archaic/epic infinitival/absolutive-like form) अर्थे: ‘to cause to fall’

• āsa: did/was (engaged in)
• āsa: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ās (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; सहायक-क्रिया (auxiliary with pātayām)

• bhuvi: on the ground
• bhuvi: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• tālaphalāni: palm fruits
• tālaphalāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāla + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (tālasya phalāni)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa (with Saṅkarṣaṇa/Balarāma) manifests in Vraja to protect and delight His devotees, effortlessly bending nature to their loving requests.

Leela: Bala

Dharma Restored: Assurance that the Lord’s devotees are cared for and that asuric intimidation cannot block rightful enjoyment and welfare.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord’s omnipotence appears in Vraja as effortless, intimate grace—power expressed as play for devotees’ joy.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Approach spiritual life with trust and closeness to God, seeing help and ‘small graces’ as expressions of divine care.

Vishishtadvaita: Vishnu’s supremacy is not remote: His transcendent power becomes immanent, relational compassion (dayā) within the world.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Sakhya

Vyuha Form: Sankarshana

Characters & Entities

• Sankarshana (Balarama)
• Krishna
• Gopa-kumaras (cowherd boys)
• Tala (palm tree) fruits

FAQs

What is the significance of Krishna and Balarama making the tala fruits fall in the Vishnu Purana?

It highlights their effortless lordship—divine power expressed as simple, playful responsiveness to the cowherd boys, blending tenderness (līlā) with sovereignty (aiśvarya).

How does Sage Parashara explain divine action in Krishna’s childhood narratives?

Parāśara presents miraculous deeds as natural expressions of the Supreme’s will—events that look like play in Vraja yet reveal the same Vishnu who upholds cosmic order.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu (as Krishna) in this context?

Krishna’s seemingly ordinary act becomes a sign of the Supreme Reality’s immanence: the transcendent Vishnu is present among devotees, acting for their delight and welfare.