Shloka 34

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

Devanagari script

इति संस्मारितो विप्र कृष्णेन सुमहात्मना विहस्य पीडयाम् आस प्रलम्बं बलवान् बलः

Transliteration

iti saṃsmārito vipra kṛṣṇena sumahātmanā vihasya pīḍayām āsa pralambaṃ balavān balaḥ

Translation

Thus reminded by Śrī Kṛṣṇa, that great-souled Lord, O Brahmin, Bala (Balarāma), mighty in strength, laughed aloud and began to crush and torment Pralamba.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle: ‘thus’)

• संस्मारितः: having been reminded
• संस्मारितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भाव: ‘having been reminded’

• विप्र: O brahmin
• विप्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; ‘O brahmin’ (address)

• कृष्णेन: by Krishna
• कृष्णेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘by Kṛṣṇa’

• सुमहात्मना: by the great-souled one
• सुमहात्मना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘by the very great-souled (one)’

• विहस्य: having laughed
• विहस्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि + हस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive): ‘having laughed’

• पीडयाम्: afflicting
• पीडयाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीड् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-अर्थे/नामधातु-भाव: ‘to afflict’ as infinitival sense; here accusative singular of action-noun used with आसा (periphrastic): ‘(set about) afflicting’

• आस: began
• आस: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; periphrastic with action-noun: ‘began/was’

• प्रलम्बम्: Pralamba
• प्रलम्बम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रलम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; proper name ‘Pralamba’

• बलवान्: strong
• बलवान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘strong’

• बलः: Bala (Balarama)
• बलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; proper name ‘Bala (Balarāma)’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Krishna orchestrates the protection of Vraja by prompting Balarama to destroy Pralamba, eliminating a daitya threat among the cowherds.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Safety of the cowherd community and the continuity of Krishna’s līlā in righteous order.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Sakhya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Balarama (Bala)
• Pralamba

FAQs

What is the significance of Pralamba’s defeat in the Vishnu Purana?

It portrays the inevitable overthrow of adharma: the asura’s deceit is exposed, and divine power (Balarama) restores safety under Krishna’s sovereign direction.

How does Sage Parāśara frame Krishna and Balarama’s role in this episode?

Parāśara narrates them as divinely empowered protectors: Krishna prompts remembrance and right action, while Balarama executes the punishment of the aggressor.

What theological point about Lord Vishnu (Krishna) is implied here?

Krishna is shown as the supreme controller whose mere reminder sets the course of events; the avatāra’s līlā becomes the instrument by which cosmic order is upheld.