Shloka 2

The Slaying of Madhu

Establishment of the Name ‘Madhusūdana’

Devanagari script

क्रोधेन महताविष्टो मधुर्निर्जरमर्दनः । अब्रवीत्परुषं वाक्यमव्ययं हरिमीश्वरम्

Transliteration

krodhena mahatāviṣṭo madhurnirjaramardanaḥ | abravītparuṣaṃ vākyamavyayaṃ harimīśvaram

Translation

Saisi d’une colère violente, Madhu—le pourfendeur des dieux—adressa des paroles dures à Hari, le Seigneur impérissable.

Word by Word

• क्रोधेन: with anger
• क्रोधेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• महतā: great
• महतā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to क्रोधेन understood: 'with great [anger]')

• आविष्टः: overcome; possessed
• आविष्टः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'possessed/overcome'

• मधुः: Madhu (the asura)
• मधुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• निर्जरमर्दनः: crusher of the gods
• निर्जरमर्दनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्जर + मर्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—निर्जराणां मर्दनः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• अब्रवीत्: spoke; said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• परुषम्: harsh
• परुषम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to वाक्यम्)

• वाक्यम्: speech; words
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• अव्ययम्: imperishable
• अव्ययम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to हरिम्/ईश्वरम् as epithet: 'imperishable')

• हरिम्: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• ईश्वरम्: the Lord
• ईश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; हरिम् इति विशेष्यस्य अप्पोजिशन (apposition)

Speaker

Narrator (context not provided; verse reports Madhu speaking)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: महताविष्टो = महता + आविष्टः (आगम/स्वर-सन्धि). मधुर्निर्जरमर्दनः = मधुः + निर्जरमर्दनः (विसर्ग-सन्धि: ः + न → र्न). अब्रवीत्परुषं = अब्रवीत् + परुषम् (त् + प → त्प). हरिमीश्वरम् = हरिम् + ईश्वरम् (म् + ई → मी).

Characters & Entities

• Madhu
• Hari (Vishnu)

FAQs

Who is Madhu in this verse, and why is he described as 'slayer of the gods'?

Madhu is a demon figure depicted in Purāṇic narratives as hostile to the devas; the epithet 'nirjaramardana' highlights his role as an oppressor of the gods in the story context.

What ethical lesson is implied by Madhu being 'seized by anger'?

The verse frames anger as a force that overwhelms discernment and leads to harsh speech, implying that uncontrolled krodha drives one toward adharma even when confronting the divine.

How does this verse support a Vaishnava theological emphasis?

By naming Hari as 'avyaya' (imperishable) and 'īśvara' (Lord), the verse underscores Vishnu’s transcendence and sovereignty, even when challenged by antagonistic beings.