Shloka 21

वैष्णवीमायावितानम्, उग्रसेनाभिषेकः, सुधर्मासभा, सांदीपनिगमनम्, पाञ्चजन्य-प्राप्तिः, गुरुदक्षिणा

Devanagari script

सरहस्यं धनुर्वेदं ससंग्रहम् अधीयताम् अहोरात्रैश् चतुःषष्ट्या तद् अद्भुतम् अभूद् द्विज

Transliteration

sarahasyaṃ dhanurvedaṃ sasaṃgraham adhīyatām ahorātraiś catuḥṣaṣṭyā tad adbhutam abhūd dvija

Translation

โอ พราหมณ์ เขาได้ศึกษาธนุรเวท—ศาสตร์แห่งการยิงธนู—พร้อมทั้งคัมภีร์สรุปและความลับอันสงวนไว้; และในเพียงหกสิบสี่วันคืน ก็สำเร็จความชำนาญอันน่าอัศจรรย์นั้น

Word by Word

• स-रहस्यम्: with its secret (esoteric part)
• स-रहस्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रहस्य (प्रातिपदिक) + स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय-पूर्वपद)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘रहस्ययुक्तम्’ (neuter, accusative singular)

• धनुः-वेदम्: the science of archery
• धनुः-वेदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक) + वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘धनुषः वेदः’ (masc., acc. sg.)

• स-सम्ग्रहम्: together with its compendium/summary
• स-सम्ग्रहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय-पूर्वपद)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘संग्रहयुक्तम्’ (masc., acc. sg.)

• अधीयताम्: let (them) study
• अधीयताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-इ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद (imperative, 3rd person plural, Ātmanepada)

• अहोरात्रैः: by days and nights
• अहोरात्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहोरात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वः—‘अहश्च रात्रिश्च’ (instr. pl.)

• चतुःषष्ट्या: by sixty-four (units)
• चतुःषष्ट्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुःषष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (instr. sg.)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/विषय), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (nom. sg.)

• अद्भुतम्: wonderful
• अद्भुतम्: Karta (Subject-complement/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (nom. sg.)

• अभूत्: was/occurred
• अभूत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (भूतकाल), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (imperfect, 3rd sg.)

• द्विज: O brahmin
• द्विज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (आमन्त्रण), एकवचन (voc. sg.)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Kṛṣṇa-carita (narration of Kṛṣṇa’s deeds)

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: As the divine incarnation, he enacts human-like disciplines to model dharma and prepare for the protection of the world.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Maryādā of brahmacarya and guru-śiṣya discipline; rightful use of kṣātra-vidyā in service of dharma.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even the Supreme, appearing as human, honors śāstra and the guru, showing that power must be grounded in disciplined learning.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Seek competent teachers, learn systematically, and treat skills as sacred responsibilities rather than ego-extensions.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhagavān’s līlā shows transcendence with real immanence: he participates in worldly disciplines without losing divinity.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Characters & Entities

• Brahmin (dvija)
• Dhanurveda

FAQs

What is the significance of Dhanurveda in the Vishnu Purana?

Here Dhanurveda represents the disciplined martial knowledge required for righteous protection of society; mastery of it supports dharma and legitimate sovereignty in the dynastic narratives.

How does Sage Parāśara present extraordinary learning in this verse?

He emphasizes both completeness (including compendia and ‘secrets’) and speed (sixty-four days and nights), portraying the subject’s attainment as exceptional and narratively meaningful for royal capability.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named, the Purana frames kingship and human excellence as functioning under Vishnu’s cosmic order—power and knowledge are validated when aligned with dharma upheld by the Supreme.