नरकासुरवधः, अदीतिकुण्डल-प्रत्यर्पणम्, तथा भारावतरण-लीला
अमृतस्राविणी दिव्ये मन्मातुः कृष्ण कुण्डले जहार सो ऽसुरो ऽदित्या वाञ्छत्य् ऐरावतं गजम्
amṛtasrāviṇī divye manmātuḥ kṛṣṇa kuṇḍale jahāra so 'suro 'dityā vāñchaty airāvataṃ gajam
ข้าแต่พระกฤษณะ อสูรนั้นได้ชิงต่างหูทิพย์ของมารดาข้าพเจ้า ซึ่งหลั่งอมฤตและมีสีเข้มอัศจรรย์ไปแล้ว และบัดนี้ยังหมายจะยึดเอาไอราวตะ ช้างราชา จากพระนางอทิติด้วย
Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)
Avatara: Krishna
Purpose: Kṛṣṇa is implored to slay Naraka and recover Aditi’s divine earrings and protect Airāvata, thereby safeguarding Indra’s sovereignty and the devas’ order.
Leela: Yuddha
Dharma Restored: Restoration of divine regalia and protection of Svarga’s rightful kingly symbols
Concept: Even the devas depend on the Supreme’s protection; the Lord alone restores what is lost to adharma.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Cultivate reliance on the divine protector in crises while performing one’s duty; see power and prosperity as entrusted, not owned.
Vishishtadvaita: Hierarchy of dependence (śeṣa-śeṣi): all beings, including devas, are dependent modes of the Lord, who safeguards cosmic order.
Vishnu Form: Krishna
Bhakti Type: Dasya
Airāvata represents Indra’s sovereign power and the stability of the Devas’ rule; an Asura’s attempt to seize him signals a disruption of cosmic order that must be restored.
Parāśara frames it as a narrative of unlawful appropriation—Asuras seizing divine emblems—prompting the Devas’ response within the larger providential order ultimately governed by Vishnu.
Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Purana’s theology treats such upheavals as occurring within Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty, where dharma is re-established through his overarching will and protection.