Shloka 40

Śakaṭa-bhañjana, Naming by Garga, Dāmodara and Yamala-arjuna, and the Move to Vṛndāvana

Devanagari script

निर्गुणेनापि चापेन शक्रस्य गगने पदम् अवाप्यताविवेकस्य नृपस्येव परिग्रहे

Transliteration

nirguṇenāpi cāpena śakrasya gagane padam avāpyatāvivekasya nṛpasyeva parigrahe

Translation

Kahit sa busog na walang kagalingan, wari’y nakakamit pa rin niya ang tuntungan sa langit ni Indra; gayon din ang haring salat sa pag-unawa, patuloy na sumusulong sa pagkamkam at pag-iimpok ng pag-aari.

Word by Word

निर्गुणेनstringless/without a bowstring

अपिeven/also

चापेनwith a bow

शक्रस्यof Indra

गगनेin the sky

पदम्a place/position

अवाप्यतwas obtained/was reached

अविवेकस्यof lack of discernment

नृपस्यof a king

इवas if/like

परिग्रहेin acquisition/possession

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Characters & Entities

Śakra (Indra)

Kings (nṛpa)

FAQs

What is the significance of a-viveka (lack of discernment) in this Vishnu Purana verse?

It marks the Kali-yuga collapse of wise judgment: rulers without discernment chase acquisition (parigraha) and status, even when unfit—driving social and moral disorder.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the behavior of kings in Kali-yuga here?

He uses a sharp simile: just as an inferior bow is still used to reach for Indra’s heavenly station, an undiscriminating king still strains to seize possessions and power, regardless of merit or dharma.

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

By highlighting the decay of dharma in Kali-yuga, the text implicitly points to Vishnu as the sustaining Supreme Reality and the ultimate restorer of cosmic order when worldly sovereignty becomes corrupt.