Shloka 37

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

Devanagari script

प्रलम्बं निहतं दृष्ट्वा बलेनाद्भुतकर्मणा प्रहृष्टास् तुष्टुवुर् गोपाः साधु साध्व् इति चाब्रुवन्

Transliteration

pralambaṃ nihataṃ dṛṣṭvā balenādbhutakarmaṇā prahṛṣṭās tuṣṭuvur gopāḥ sādhu sādhv iti cābruvan

Translation

Seeing Pralamba struck down by Balarāma—whose deeds are wondrous beyond measure—the cowherds overflowed with joy. They praised him aloud, repeatedly exclaiming, “Well done! Well done!”

Word by Word

• प्रलम्बम्: Pralamba
• प्रलम्बम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रलम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd case), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• निहतम्: slain
• निहतम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि+हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — agreeing with ‘प्रलम्बम्’

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• बलेन: by Balarāma (Bala)
• बलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/3rd case), एकवचन — Instrumental singular

• अद्भुत-कर्मणा: of wondrous deed
• अद्भुत-कर्मणा: Karana (Instrument qualifier/करणविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — Instrumental singular; समासः: अद्भुतं कर्म यस्य/येन (appositional)

• प्रहृष्टाः: delighted
• प्रहृष्टाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र+हृष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative plural

• तुष्टुवुः: praised
• तुष्टुवुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — 3rd person plural

• गोपाः: the cowherds
• गोपाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative plural

• साधु: well done!
• साधु: Sambandha (Exclamation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रशंसावाचक-निपात (interjection of approval)

• साधु: bravo!
• साधु: Sambandha (Exclamation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रशंसावाचक-निपात (repetition for emphasis)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, इत्यादि-उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• अब्रुवन्: they said
• अब्रुवन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — 3rd person plural

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The Vraja community’s response to the Lord’s protection and the glorification of divine deeds.

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To delight and protect the devotees of Vraja by manifesting divine power through Rāma (Balarāma) in slaying Pralamba.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Communal safety and the joyous continuity of Vraja’s dharmic play and worshipful affection.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The proper response to divine protection is stuti—joyful praise that recognizes the Lord’s wondrous agency in safeguarding devotees.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate gratitude and remembrance by verbally praising the Divine after deliverance from fear or adversity.

Vishishtadvaita: Devotees relate to the Supreme in intimate companionship, yet his transcendent power remains ‘adbhuta’—both near and unsurpassably divine.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Sakhya

Vyuha Form: Sankarshana

Characters & Entities

• Balarama
• Pralamba
• Gopas (cowherds of Vraja)

FAQs

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

It marks the removal of a disruptive demonic force and demonstrates how the divine (through Balarāma) safeguards the community of devotees, restoring order and safety in Vraja.

How does Sage Parāśara frame Balarāma’s action here?

Parāśara describes Balarāma as “adbhuta-karmā,” emphasizing that the victory is not merely physical strength but a manifestation of divinely ordained, extraordinary power within avatāra-līlā.

What is Lord Vishnu’s theological importance in this context?

Even when the verse names Balarāma, the Purāṇic theology treats such protectors as expressions of the Supreme Reality’s governance—Vishnu’s sovereignty operating through avatāras to protect dharma and devotees.