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Shloka 37

Indra’s Envy at Pṛthu’s Aśvamedha and Brahmā’s Intervention

False Renunciation Exposed

भवान् परित्रातुमिहावतीर्णो धर्मं जनानां समयानुरूपम् । वेनापचारादवलुप्तमद्य तद्देहतो विष्णुकलासि वैन्य ॥ ३७ ॥

bhavān paritrātum ihāvatīrṇo dharmaṁ janānāṁ samayānurūpam venāpacārād avaluptam adya tad-dehato viṣṇu-kalāsi vainya

¡Oh rey Pṛthu, hijo de Vena! Tú eres una porción (kalā) del Señor Viṣṇu. Por las malas acciones de Vena, el dharma casi se perdió; en ese momento propicio descendiste, manifestándote del cuerpo de Vena para proteger los principios religiosos.

bhavānyou (honored one)
bhavān:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootbhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; आदरार्थे सर्वनाम-प्रयोगः (honorific pronoun)
paritrātumto protect
paritrātum:
Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
TypeVerb
Rootpari+trā (धातु)
Formतुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्तम् (Infinitive), क्रियार्थे (purpose)
ihahere
iha:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiha (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)
avatīrṇaḥdescended/incarnated
avatīrṇaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject-predicate)
TypeVerb
Rootava+√tṝ (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे (as adjectival to subject)
dharmamdharma, righteousness
dharmam:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootdharma (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
janānāmof the people
janānām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootjana (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन
samaya-anurūpamappropriate to the time/convention
samaya-anurūpam:
Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of object)
TypeAdjective
Rootsamaya (प्रातिपदिक) + anurūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध: ‘समयानुरूप’ = ‘समयस्य अनुरूपः’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘धर्मम्’ इति विशेषणम्
vena-apacārātfrom Vena’s misconduct
vena-apacārāt:
Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान/Cause-Source)
TypeNoun
Rootvena (प्रातिपदिक) + apacāra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘वेनस्य अपचारः’); पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन
avaluptamstolen/removed
avaluptam:
Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeVerb
Rootava+√lup (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘धर्मम्’ इति विशेषणम्
adyatoday/now
adya:
Kāla (काल/Time)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootadya (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)
tat-dehataḥfrom his body
tat-dehataḥ:
Apādāna (अपादान/Source)
TypeNoun
Roottat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + deha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘तस्य देहः’); पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन
viṣṇu-kalāa portion/expansion of Viṣṇu
viṣṇu-kalā:
Pratijñā/Predicate nominal (विधेय)
TypeNoun
Rootviṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + kalā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘विष्णोः कला’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
asiare
asi:
Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal predicate)
TypeVerb
Root√as (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन
vainyaO Vainya (son of Vena)
vainya:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
TypeNoun
Rootvainya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

The way in which Lord Viṣṇu kills the demons and protects the faithful is mentioned in Bhagavad-gītā (4.8) :

P
Pṛthu (Vainya)
K
King Vena
V
Viṣṇu

FAQs

This verse says the Lord descends to protect people and reestablish dharma according to the needs of the time, especially when dharma is lost due to sinful leadership.

Because Pṛthu appears with divine purpose and power to restore righteous rule; the sages recognize him as a plenary expansion empowered by the Supreme Lord.

It encourages supporting righteous leadership and personal integrity, and trusting that divine guidance and corrective forces arise when dharma is threatened.