Shloka 10

भाण्डीरवट-क्रीडा: प्रलम्बासुरवधः, मानुष्यलीला, एक-कारण-तत्त्वम्

Devanagari script

सो ऽवगाहत निःशङ्कस् तेषां मध्यम् अमानुषः मानुषं वपुर् आस्थाय प्रलम्बो दानवोत्तमः

Transliteration

so 'vagāhata niḥśaṅkas teṣāṃ madhyam amānuṣaḥ mānuṣaṃ vapur āsthāya pralambo dānavottamaḥ

Translation

Then that inhuman being—Pralamba, foremost among the Dānavas—without suspicion or fear, slipped into their midst, assuming a human form.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• अवगाहत: entered/immersed (into)
• अवगाहत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गाह् (धातु) उपसर्ग: अव-
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदी

• निःशङ्कः: fearless, without suspicion
• निःशङ्कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निःशङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; निः-उपसर्गयुक्त विशेषण

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• मध्यम्: the middle
• मध्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• अमानुषः: non-human
• अमानुषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष (अ-मानुष)

• मानुषम्: human
• मानुषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• वपुः: body, form
• वपुः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• आस्थाय: having assumed
• आस्थाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्था (धातु) उपसर्ग: आ-; ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययभाव-क्त्वान्त (gerund/absolutive); ‘having assumed’

• प्रलम्बः: Pralamba
• प्रलम्बः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रलम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• दानवोत्तमः: the best of the Dānavas
• दानवोत्तमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक); समास: दानव-उत्तम
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दानवानाम् उत्तमः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To safeguard Vraja and neutralize hostile daityas/dānavas who infiltrate His līlā to harm Him and His companions.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Security of the sādhus (here, the gopālas) against deceptive violence.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Adharma often enters by masquerade; discernment (viveka) is needed even amid innocence and joy.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate careful discrimination in relationships and influences, without losing simplicity of heart.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord protects His devotees within worldly life (līlā) without negating the reality of embodied experience.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Sakhya

Characters & Entities

• Pralamba
• Dānava

FAQs

What is the significance of Pralamba assuming a human form in the Vishnu Purana?

It highlights how adharma often advances through disguise and deception, yet remains ultimately powerless before Vishnu’s protecting presence in Krishna’s līlā.

How does Sage Parāśara frame the threat posed by demons in Krishna’s childhood?

He depicts them as “amānuṣa” forces entering ordinary settings, underscoring that cosmic conflict can appear within everyday life, while divine order is preserved through Vishnu’s agency.

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

Even when the verse names only the demon, the narrative presumes Vishnu-as-Krishna as the Supreme guardian whose sovereignty ensures that deceptive evil cannot prevail.