Shloka 17

आत्यन्तिक-लयहेतुः: तापत्रय-विवेचनम् तथा ‘भगवान्/वासुदेव’ शब्दार्थः

Threefold Suffering and the Path to Final Liberation; Meaning of Bhagavān and Vāsudeva

Devanagari script

कण्टकैर् इव तुन्नाङ्गः क्रकचैर् इव दारितः पूतिव्रणान् निपतितो धरण्यां कृमिको यथा

Transliteration

kaṇṭakair iva tunnāṅgaḥ krakacair iva dāritaḥ pūtivraṇān nipatito dharaṇyāṃ kṛmiko yathā

Translation

त्याचे अवयव काट्यांनी टोचल्यासारखे आणि करवतीने कापल्यासारखे वाटतात; तो दुर्गंधीयुक्त जखमेतून पडलेल्या किड्याप्रमाणे जमिनीवर पडतो.

Word by Word

• कण्टकैः: by thorns
• कण्टकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• इव: as if, like
• इव: Upamana-marker (Simile)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक अव्यय — Comparative particle (like/as)

• तुन्नाङ्गः: with body pierced
• तुन्नाङ्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (तुन्नानि अङ्गानि यस्य/तुन्नम् अङ्गम्) विशेषणम्

• क्रकचैः: by saws
• क्रकचैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रकच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• इव: like
• इव: Upamana-marker (Simile)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक अव्यय — Comparative particle

• दारितः: torn, split
• दारितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दॄ (धातु) → दारित (णिच्+क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Past passive participle; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पूतिव्रणान्: foul wounds
• पूतिव्रणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूति (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Plural; समासः कर्मधारयः (पूतयः व्रणाः)

• निपतितः: fallen
• निपतितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि+पत् (धातु) → निपतित (क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Past participle; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धरण्याम्: on the ground
• धरण्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन — Feminine, Locative, Singular

• कृमिकः: a worm
• कृमिकः: Upamana (Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Upamana-marker (Simile)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय — as, just as

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating) to Maitreya

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Graphic depiction of embodied pain to generate dispassion toward the body and saṃsāra.

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The body, subject to tearing pain and putrefaction, is not a fit object of pride or attachment.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Use mindful contemplation of bodily vulnerability to lessen vanity and redirect care toward dharma and devotion.

Vishishtadvaita: Disgust toward the perishable body supports turning to the imperishable Lord, while acknowledging the body as a real but dependent mode (prakāra) of the jīva under Īśvara’s governance.

FAQs

What is the significance of this graphic imagery in the Vishnu Purana?

It intensifies the moral lesson: when dharma is violated, the fall is not merely political but deeply bodily and existential—karma manifests as suffering and degradation.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the consequences of adharma in dynastic narratives?

Through vivid cause-and-effect storytelling: actions that disrupt social and cosmic order culminate in humiliating, painful downfalls, reinforcing dharma as the stabilizing law of kingship.

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

Even when not named in the verse, Vishnu remains the upholder of ṛta/dharma; the narrative implies that sovereignty and order ultimately rest in the Supreme Reality, and adharma collapses under that law.