Shloka 8

प्रद्युम्न-अपहरणम्, मत्स्य-उद्धारः, मायावती-शिक्षा, शम्बरवधः, रुक्मिणी-पुत्र-संगमः

Devanagari script

को ऽयं कथम् अयं मत्स्यजठरं समुपागतः इत्य् एवं कौतुकाविष्टां तां तन्वीं प्राह नारदः

Transliteration

ko 'yaṃ katham ayaṃ matsyajaṭharaṃ samupāgataḥ ity evaṃ kautukāviṣṭāṃ tāṃ tanvīṃ prāha nāradaḥ

Translation

Y cuando la doncella esbelta, poseída por el asombro, preguntaba: “¿Quién es, y cómo ha llegado al vientre de un pez?”, Nārada le habló.

Word by Word

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• मत्स्यजठरम्: the fish’s belly
• मत्स्यजठरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य (प्रातिपदिक) + जठर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; ‘मत्स्यस्य जठरम्’

• समुपागतः: has come to/entered
• समुपागतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उप + गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि/कर्तरि कृदन्त (past participle used actively), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘समुपागत’ = has come/arrived

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

• एवम्: in this way
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: thus/in this way)

• कौतुकाविष्टाम्: overcome by curiosity
• कौतुकाविष्टाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कौतुक (प्रातिपदिक) + आविष्ट (आ + विश् धातु + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘कौतुकम् आविष्टा’ = seized by curiosity; विशेषणम् ‘ताम्’

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• तन्वीम्: the slender woman
• तन्वीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तन्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘तन्वी’ = slender woman; अप्पोजिशन ‘ताम्’

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह्/ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Nārada (within the narrative; framed by the Purāṇic narrator)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: True understanding arises when wonder (kautuka) is guided by a realized teacher who reveals the hidden divine order behind events.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: When confronted with the inexplicable, seek śāstra-guided counsel from trustworthy teachers rather than speculation.

Vishishtadvaita: Grace mediated through guru (Nārada) who discloses Bhagavān’s plan within worldly causality.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Fish (matsya)

FAQs

What is the significance of the fish-belly motif in the Vishnu Purana?

It signals an extraordinary, providential circumstance—an event meant to be explained by a sage—so the narrative can unfold a deeper account of destiny, protection, or lineage.

How does the text use curiosity (kautuka) as a narrative device here?

The maiden’s astonishment becomes the trigger for authoritative instruction: her questions invite Nārada’s explanation, moving the story from marvel to meaningful disclosure.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Purāṇic frame assumes a cosmos governed by divine sovereignty—extraordinary events are intelligible as part of an ordered, purposeful reality upheld by the Supreme.