Shloka 10

The Greatness of Hari’s Janmāṣṭamī (Jayantī) Vow

Devanagari script

कथं वा भगवान्जातः शंखचक्रगदाधरः । देवकीजठरे विष्णुः किं कर्तुं केन हेतुना

Transliteration

kathaṃ vā bhagavānjātaḥ śaṃkhacakragadādharaḥ | devakījaṭhare viṣṇuḥ kiṃ kartuṃ kena hetunā

Translation

ଶଙ୍ଖ-ଚକ୍ର-ଗଦାଧାରୀ ଭଗବାନ କିପରି ପ୍ରାଦୁର୍ଭୂତ ହେଲେ? ବିଷ୍ଣୁ ଦେବକୀଙ୍କ ଗର୍ଭରେ କେଉଁ ହେତୁରେ, କେଉଁ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ ପାଇଁ ପ୍ରବେଶ କଲେ?

Word by Word

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: प्रश्न-क्रियाविशेषण (interrogative modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• वा: or/indeed
• वा: निपात (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक/अनुनासिक-अव्यय (particle: or/indeed)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: कर्ता (Karta—subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• जातः: was born
• जातः: क्रिया (Predicative action/state)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतभावे (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘born/has arisen’ (finite sense with implied ‘अस्ति’)

• शंख-चक्र-गदा-धरः: bearer of conch, discus, and mace
• शंख-चक्र-गदा-धरः: समानााधिकरण-विशेषण (Appositional epithet of subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंख + चक्र + गदा + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: शंखं चक्रं गदां च धरतीति

• देवकी-जठरे: in Devakī’s womb
• देवकी-जठरे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa—location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवकी + जठर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: देवक्याः जठरे

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: कर्ता (Karta—subject, apposition to भगवान्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• किम्: what
• किम्: कर्म (Karma—object of infinitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• कर्तुम्: to do
• कर्तुम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), क्रियार्थ (purpose)

• केन: by what (means)
• केन: करण (Karaṇa—instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (Masc/Neut), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); प्रश्नवाचक

• हेतुना: for what reason/cause
• हेतुना: करण/हेतु (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Unspecified in provided excerpt (a question posed by an interlocutor within the narrative dialogue)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: city

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: भगवान्जातः = भगवान् + जातः; देवकीजठरे = देवकी + जठरे.

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavān
• Viṣṇu
• Devakī

FAQs

What is the central question of this śloka?

It asks about the mystery of divine incarnation: how the Lord who bears the conch, discus, and mace can be “born,” and what purpose led Viṣṇu to enter Devakī’s womb.

What theological idea does the verse point toward in Vaiṣṇava thought?

It points toward avatāra-doctrine: the Lord’s descent is purposeful and causal (for a divine mission), even if His nature transcends ordinary birth.

Why are the conch, discus, and mace mentioned?

They identify the speaker’s subject as Viṣṇu/Nārāyaṇa in His iconic form, emphasizing divine sovereignty even while discussing His appearance in human history.