Vishnu Purana 5.8.2 — Krishna Avatara, Amsha 5, Adhyaya 8, Shloka 2

तालवन-उद्धारः: धेनुकासुरवधः, फल-समृद्धिः, गो-क्षेमः

Devanagari script

तत् तु तालवनं नित्यं धेनुको नाम दानवः नृगोमांसकृताहारः सदाध्यास्ते खराकृतिः

Transliteration

tat tu tālavanaṃ nityaṃ dhenuko nāma dānavaḥ nṛgomāṃsakṛtāhāraḥ sadādhyāste kharākṛtiḥ

Translation

ആ താലവനം നിത്യവും ധേനുകൻ എന്ന ദാനവന്റെ അധീനത്തിലായിരുന്നു; മനുഷ്യരുടെയും പശുക്കളുടെയും മാംസം ഭക്ഷിക്കുന്ന അവൻ കാട്ടുകഴുതയുടെ രൂപത്തിൽ അവിടെ സ്ഥിരമായി പാർത്തു.

Word by Word

• tat: that (place/thing)
• tat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात/समुच्चयार्थक-अवधारणार्थक (particle: but/indeed)

• tālavanaṃ: the palm-grove (Tālavana)
• tālavanaṃ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāla + vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (tālasya vanam)

• nityaṃ: always/constantly
• nityaṃ: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• dhenukaḥ: Dhenuka
• dhenukaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhenuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• nāma: by name
• nāma: Sambandha (Appositive marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-शब्दः (indeclinable used as ‘by name’)

• dānavaḥ: a demon (Dānava)
• dānavaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेष्य-सम्बन्धे (apposition to dhenukaḥ)

• nṛgomāṃsakṛtāhāraḥ: feeding on human and cow flesh
• nṛgomāṃsakṛtāhāraḥ: Karta (Subject attribute/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nṛ + go + māṃsa + kṛta + āhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (nṛ-go-māṃsa-kṛta-āhāra: ‘whose food is made of human & cow flesh’)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• adhyāste: dwells/occupies
• adhyāste: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: adhi-ās (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; धातु: आस् (to sit/dwell) उपसर्ग: अधि

• khara-ākṛtiḥ: of donkey form
• khara-ākṛtiḥ: Karta (Subject attribute/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: khara + ākṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयसमासः (kharā ākṛtiḥ: ‘donkey-like form’)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Sakhya

Characters & Entities

• Dhenuka
• Tālavana
• Dānava

FAQs

What is the significance of Tālavana in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames Tālavana as a space seized by adharma—dominated by the demon Dhenuka—setting up its later purification and the restoration of rightful order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the threat posed by Dhenuka?

Parāśara characterizes Dhenuka as a constant occupier of the grove, predatory by nature (feeding on humans and cattle) and concealed in a donkey-like form, emphasizing enduring, entrenched harm.

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

By depicting a realm held by violent adharma, the narrative prepares for Vishnu’s protecting sovereignty manifested through Krishna, who restores dharma by removing such destructive forces.