Shloka 20

ब्राह्मणपूजायां व्युष्टिः — Vyuṣṭi (Merit-Outcome) of Honoring Brāhmaṇas: Kṛṣṇa and Durvāsā

Devanagari script

ततो विष्णुर्गिरिं दृष्टवा निर्दग्धमरिकर्शन: । सौम्यैर्दष्टिनिपातैस्तं पुनः प्रकृतिमानयत्‌

Transliteration

tato viṣṇur giriṃ dṛṣṭvā nirdagdham arikarṣaṇaḥ | saumyair dṛṣṭinipātaiḥ taṃ punaḥ prakṛtim ānayat |

Translation

അനന്തരം ശത്രുനിഗ്രാഹകനായ വിഷ്ണു ദഹിച്ചുപോയ ആ പർവ്വതത്തെ കണ്ടു, തന്റെ സൗമ്യവും മംഗളകരവുമായ ദൃഷ്ടി അതിന്മേൽ പതിപ്പിച്ചു; അതിനെ വീണ്ടും സ്വാഭാവികാവസ്ഥയിലേക്കു കൊണ്ടുവന്നു—മുമ്പുപോലെ പച്ചപ്പും സമൃദ്ധിയും നിറഞ്ഞതാക്കി.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• विष्णुः: Vishnu (Krishna)
• विष्णुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गिरिम्: mountain
• गिरिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Absolutive (त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• निर्दग्धम्: burnt, scorched
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्दग्ध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

• अरि-करषणः: enemy-subduer (Krishna)
• अरि-करषणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरि-करषण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सौम्यैः: with gentle, benign
• सौम्यैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौम्य
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• दृष्टि-निपातैः: with the casting/falling of (his) glance
• दृष्टि-निपातैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृष्टि-निपात
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तम्: that (mountain), it
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• प्रकृतिम्: natural state, original condition
• प्रकृतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• आनयत्: brought, restored
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (नय)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Viṣṇu
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• giri (mountain)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that true divine or righteous power is not merely destructive; it is guided by compassion and aims at restoring prakṛti (the proper, balanced state). After demonstrating might, the Lord re-establishes harmony, modeling restraint and benevolence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma narrates that Viṣṇu (identified with Śrī Kṛṣṇa) sees a mountain that has been burned and, by casting a gentle glance, restores it to its former natural condition—green and whole again.