Shloka 28

अर्जुनस्य अन्त्येष्टि, द्वारकाप्लावनम्, कलिप्रवेशः, कालोपदेशः

Devanagari script

प्रेक्षतश् चैव पार्थस्य वृष्ण्यन्धकवरस्त्रियः जग्मुर् आदाय ते म्लेच्छाः समस्ता मुनिसत्तम

Transliteration

prekṣataś caiva pārthasya vṛṣṇyandhakavarastriyaḥ jagmur ādāya te mlecchāḥ samastā munisattama

Translation

Ô meilleur des sages, tandis que Pārtha regardait, ces mlecchas emmenèrent toutes les nobles femmes des Vṛṣṇis et des Andhakas.

Word by Word

• प्रेक्षतः: while (he) was watching
• प्रेक्षतः: Sambandha (Genitive absolute-like/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + ईक्ष् (धातु) → प्रेक्षत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (genitive/6th), एकवचन (singular)

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (indeed)

• पार्थस्य: of Pārtha (Arjuna)
• पार्थस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी (genitive/6th), एकवचन (singular)

• वृष्ण्यन्धकवरस्त्रियः: the women of the Vṛṣṇis and Andhakas
• वृष्ण्यन्धकवरस्त्रियः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष्णि (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्धक (प्रातिपदिक) + वर (प्रातिपदिक) + स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural); बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (women of the excellent Vṛṣṇis and Andhakas)

• जग्मुः: they went
• जग्मुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural)

• आदाय: having taken/carrying off
• आदाय: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• ते: those (men)
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• म्लेच्छाः: barbarians/foreigners
• म्लेच्छाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: म्लेच्छ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• समस्ताः: all together
• समस्ताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• मुनि-सत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनि-सत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (best among sages)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating) to Maitreya

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna (Pārtha)
• Vrishnis (Vṛṣṇi clan)
• Andhakas
• Mlecchas (raiders/foreigners)

FAQs

What is the significance of the mlecchas abducting the Vrishni-Andhaka women in the Vishnu Purana?

It marks the visible breakdown of social and royal order after the Yadavas’ end—an emblem of Kali Yuga’s rise, where even Arjuna cannot prevent adharma.

How does Sage Parāśara frame Arjuna’s role in this episode?

Parāśara presents Arjuna as a witness to the turning of time: despite his prowess, cosmic order has shifted, and events unfold beyond ordinary heroic control.

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

The verse implies that when the Lord’s manifest presence (Krishna’s lila) withdraws, protective power and dharma diminish—underscoring Vishnu as the sustaining sovereign of order.