Shloka 51

Devanagari script

अथ ते सर्वशों5शै: स्वैर्गन्तुं भूमिं कृतक्षणा: । नारायणममित्रघ्नं वैकुण्ठमुपचक्रमुः,अब वे अपने-अपने अंशोंसे भूलोकमें सब ओर जानेका निश्चय करके शत्रुओंका नाश करनेवाले भगवान्‌ नारायणके समीप वैकुण्ठधाममें जानेको उद्यत हुए

Transliteration

atha te sarvaśo 'ṃśaiḥ svair gantuṃ bhūmiṃ kṛtakṣaṇāḥ | nārāyaṇam amitraghnaṃ vaikuṇṭham upacakramuḥ ||

Translation

Then they, having firmly resolved to go down to the earth in their respective portions (partial incarnations), set out toward Vaikuṇṭha to approach Nārāyaṇa—the destroyer of foes—seeking his sanction and guidance for the descent. The narrative frames their movement as purposeful and divinely ordered: a coordinated embodiment undertaken for the restoration of right order.

Word by Word

अथthen

तेthey

सर्वशःin every direction / entirely

अंशैःby (their) portions/parts

स्वैःby their own

गन्तुम्to go

भूमिम्to the earth (world)

कृतक्षणाःhaving made the decision / having fixed the time (ready)

नारायणम्Narayana

अमित्रघ्नम्slayer of foes

वैकुण्ठम्to Vaikuntha

उपचक्रमुःthey approached / they set about

Speaker

वैशग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Nārāyaṇa

Vaikuṇṭha

Bhūmi (earth)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that the restoration of dharma is not random but coordinated under divine guidance: beings take on ‘aṃśas’ (partial embodiments) and act in the world with a higher purpose, approaching Nārāyaṇa as the ultimate source of authority and protection.

What is happening in the narrative?

A group of divine beings (implied by ‘aṃśaiḥ’) decide to descend to the earth in their respective portions and proceed to Vaikuṇṭha to approach Nārāyaṇa, preparing for the forthcoming earthly events that will culminate in the great conflict and re-establishment of order.