Shloka 19

केशीवधः तथा ‘केशव’ नामप्रसिद्धिः

Devanagari script

साधु साधु जगन्नाथ लीलयैव यद् अच्युत निहतो ऽयं त्वया केशी क्लेशदस् त्रिदिवौकसाम्

Transliteration

sādhu sādhu jagannātha līlayaiva yad acyuta nihato 'yaṃ tvayā keśī kleśadas tridivaukasām

Translation

善きかな、善きかな、宇宙の主ジャガンナータよ！不滅なるアチュタよ、まことに驚くべきことに、ただ神聖なる戯れのごとく、三天の住人を苦しめたケーシーを汝は討ち滅ぼされた。

Word by Word

• साधु: well done
• साधु: Sambodhana/Discourse marker (address/exclamation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रशंसावाचक-निपात (indeclinable particle of approval)

• साधु: well done (indeed)
• साधु: Sambodhana/Discourse marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति (repetition for emphasis)

• जगन्नाथ: O Lord of the world
• जगन्नाथ: Sambodhana (Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (jagat + nātha = lord of the world)

• लीलया: by play/sport
• लीलया: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• अच्युत: O Acyuta
• अच्युत: Sambodhana (Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• निहतः: was slain
• निहतः: Karma-predicative (predicate describing subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-हन् (धातु) → निहत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

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

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Kartr̥ (Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• केशी: Keśī (the demon)
• केशी: Karta (Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• क्लेशदः: giver of torment
• क्लेशदः: Karta (Appositive epithet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्लेश + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (giver of trouble)

• त्रिदिवौकसाम्: of the dwellers of heaven (gods)
• त्रिदिवौकसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिदिव + ओकस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (those dwelling in heaven)

Speaker

The devas (celestial beings), praising Sri Krishna after Keśī’s death

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To protect Vraja and the devas by destroying the asura Keśī who was tormenting the three worlds.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Safety of the worlds and the uninterrupted order of divine governance (deva-loka protection).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord’s world-protecting acts, though performed as līlā, are worthy of praise and are the ground of devotee wonder and gratitude.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Recollect the Lord’s līlās in daily japa/reading and offer verbal praise (stuti) to cultivate steadiness of devotion.

Vishishtadvaita: The transcendent Lord engages in accessible, playful action within the world to protect it, showing immanence without loss of supremacy.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Krishna
• Kesi
• Devas

FAQs

What is the significance of divine līlā in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames Keśī’s death as “līlā,” highlighting Vishnu-Krishna’s effortless supremacy: cosmic threats are removed not by strain, but by the Lord’s sovereign play for restoring dharma.

How does the Vishnu Purana present the relationship between the devas and Vishnu in this episode?

The devas praise Krishna as Jagannātha and Acyuta, implying their reliance on him for protection and order; even celestial realms are relieved when the Lord removes an asuric burden.

What is the theological importance of calling Krishna “Jagannātha” and “Acyuta” here?

“Jagannātha” asserts universal lordship, while “Acyuta” affirms infallible, unshakable divinity—central to Vaishnava readings where Krishna is the Supreme Reality acting within history.