Shloka 11

स्वाध्याय-योगोपदेशः तथा केशिध्वज-खाण्डिक्य-उपाख्यानम्

Yoga through Study and Restraint; The Keśidhvaja–Khāṇḍikya Narrative Frame

Devanagari script

पुरोधसा मन्त्रिभिश् च समवेतो ऽल्पसाधनः राज्यान् निराकृतः सो ऽथ दुर्गारण्यचरो ऽभवत्

Transliteration

purodhasā mantribhiś ca samaveto 'lpasādhanaḥ rājyān nirākṛtaḥ so 'tha durgāraṇyacaro 'bhavat

Translation

പുരോഹിതനും മന്ത്രിമാരും കൂടെയുണ്ടായിരുന്നിട്ടും, അല്പസാധനങ്ങളോടെ അവൻ രാജ്യത്തിൽ നിന്ന് പുറത്താക്കപ്പെട്ടു; പിന്നെ അവൻ ദുർഗ്ഗമായ വനങ്ങളിൽ അലഞ്ഞുനടന്നു.

Word by Word

• पुरोधसा: with the priest (purohita)
• पुरोधसा: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरोधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; सहकारक-भाव (with/along with)

• मन्त्रिभिः: with ministers
• मन्त्रिभिः: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; instrumental plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• समवेतः: assembled, accompanied
• समवेतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + अव + इ (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle, active sense); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; "assembled/come together"

• अल्पसाधनः: having scant resources
• अल्पसाधनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + साधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: अल्पानि साधनानि यस्य सः; "having few resources"

• राज्यान्: the kingdom
• राज्यान्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; (form with -ān as Vedic/epic acc. sg. of -ya stem)

• निराकृतः: was cast out, expelled
• निराकृतः: Kriya (Predicate participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर् + आ + कृ (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; "rejected/expelled"

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; pronoun

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse marker (Avyaya/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भ (then/thereupon)

• दुर्गारण्यचरः: dwelling in a difficult forest
• दुर्गारण्यचरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies सः); दुर्गे अरण्ये चरः इति सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; parasmaipada

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Consequences of political defeat and the transition from royal life to forest hardship as a catalyst for spiritual pursuit.

Teaching: Historical

Quality: compassionate

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dispossession and exile reveal the fragility of rājya and prompt the turn toward inner refuge beyond external supports.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Practice voluntary simplicity and resilience; use setbacks as prompts for deeper sādhanā rather than bitterness.

Vishishtadvaita: Even in loss, the jīva remains sustained by the Lord; external fortunes are modes (prakāra) within His governance, not the self’s essence.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Dharma Exemplar: Endurance in adversity

Key Kings: Khāṇḍikya

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Royal priest (purohita)
• Ministers (mantrins)

FAQs

What is the significance of forest-exile (araṇya-vāsa) in the Vishnu Purana’s royal narratives?

It marks a fall from political sovereignty into hardship, often functioning as a dharmic test and a turning-point that reshapes a dynasty’s future.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the collapse of kingship in this context?

By showing that even with priestly and ministerial support, a ruler lacking resources can be expelled—highlighting the fragile, contingent nature of rājya within the larger moral order.

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

The verse fits the Purāṇic view that worldly power rises and falls under a higher cosmic sovereignty—ultimately grounded in Vishnu as the supreme regulator of order and destiny.