Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

तम् आह रामं गोविन्दः स्मितभिन्नौष्ठसंपुटः महात्मा रौहिणेयस्य बलवीर्यप्रमाणवित्

Transliteration

tam āha rāmaṃ govindaḥ smitabhinnauṣṭhasaṃpuṭaḥ mahātmā rauhiṇeyasya balavīryapramāṇavit

Translation

Then Govinda spoke to Rāma—His lips gently parting with a smile. That great-souled Lord, fully knowing the measure of Rauhiṇeya’s strength and valor, addressed him with assured understanding.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आह: said
• आह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/ब्रू (धातु; √अह् 'to say')
• Form: लिट् (परोक्ष/परिपूर्ण भूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद — Perfect, 3rd person, Singular

• रामम्: Rama (Balarama)
• रामम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• गोविन्दः: Govinda (Krishna)
• गोविन्दः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्मित-भिन्न-ओष्ठ-संपुटः: whose lips were parted by a smile
• स्मित-भिन्न-ओष्ठ-संपुटः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मित (प्रातिपदिक) + भिन्न (कृदन्त; √भिद् + क्त) + ओष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + संपुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; विशेषण (qualifying गोविन्दः)

• महात्मा: the great-souled one
• महात्मा: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; उपाधि/विशेषणार्थ

• रौहिणेयस्य: of Rauhiṇeya (Balarama)
• रौहिणेयस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रौहिणेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन — Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• बल-वीर्य-प्रमाण-वित्: knower of (his) strength, valor, and measure
• बल-वीर्य-प्रमाण-वित्: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक) + वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक) + वित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; विशेषण (qualifying गोविन्दः/महात्मा)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya), quoting/introducing Krishna (Govinda) addressing Balarama (Rāma/Rauhiṇeya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To orchestrate the protection of Vraja by directing Balarāma—whose strength He perfectly knows—to neutralize the demonic threat.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Cooperative divine protection—Krishna’s leadership and Balarāma’s strength safeguard the community.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Bhagavān’s effortless sovereignty appears as calm mastery—He knows the capacities of His instruments and guides action without agitation.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate steadiness in crisis: act with competence, delegate wisely, and keep inner composure rooted in the Divine.

Vishishtadvaita: The Lord’s saulabhya (accessibility) and saulabhya-with-paratva: intimate smile within līlā while remaining supreme director.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Sakhya

Vyuha Form: Sankarshana

Characters & Entities

• Govinda (Sri Krishna)
• Rama (Balarama)
• Rauhiṇeya (Balarama, son of Rohiṇī)

FAQs

What is the significance of Krishna smiling before speaking in the Vishnu Purana?

The smile signals divine mastery and calm sovereignty—Govinda acts with full knowledge of outcomes, guiding events through lila rather than agitation.

How does the Vishnu Purana portray Balarama (Rauhiṇeya) in relation to Krishna?

Balarama is presented as immensely powerful and valorous; Krishna is shown as the one who precisely knows that measure and directs the course of action with assured insight.

What is the theological importance of Govinda’s “knowledge of strength and valor” here?

It underscores Vishnu’s omniscient governance within incarnation—Krishna’s awareness of all capacities and limits reflects the Supreme Reality guiding dharma through human-like dialogue.