Shloka 25

स्वाध्याय-योगोपदेशः तथा केशिध्वज-खाण्डिक्य-उपाख्यानम्

Yoga through Study and Restraint; The Keśidhvaja–Khāṇḍikya Narrative Frame

Devanagari script

खाण्डिक्य संशयं प्रष्टुं भवन्तम् अहम् आगतः न त्वां हन्तुं विचार्यैतत् कोपं बाणं विमुञ्च वा

Transliteration

khāṇḍikya saṃśayaṃ praṣṭuṃ bhavantam aham āgataḥ na tvāṃ hantuṃ vicāryaitat kopaṃ bāṇaṃ vimuñca vā

Translation

Hỡi Khāṇḍikya, ta đến trước mặt ngươi để hỏi và giải quyết một nghi vấn. Ta không đến để giết ngươi—hãy hiểu rõ điều này. Vì vậy, hãy trút bỏ cơn giận và hạ mũi tên xuống.

Word by Word

• खाण्डिक्य: O Khāṇḍikya
• खाण्डिक्य: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खाण्डिक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग (नाम)

• संशयम्: doubt
• संशयम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रष्टुम्: to ask
• प्रष्टुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+श् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), अव्ययवत् प्रयोग

• भवन्तम्: you (honorific)
• भवन्तम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; आदरार्थक-प्रयोग (honorific 'you')

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आगतः: have come
• आगतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (agreeing with अहम्)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• हन्तुम्: to kill
• हन्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), अव्ययवत् प्रयोग

• विचार्य: having considered
• विचार्य: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Prior action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+चर् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund), 'having considered'

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कोपम्: anger
• कोपम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• बाणम्: arrow
• बाणम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विमुञ्च: release / let go
• विमुञ्च: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प (disjunctive particle: 'or')

Speaker

Unspecified interlocutor within the narrative (a speaker addressing Khāṇḍikya); relayed by Sage Parāśara to Maitreya

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Signs and conduct of Kali-yuga and the moral/political collapse it produces

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even amid hostility, one may seek resolution through inquiry and reason, urging the opponent to abandon krodha and suspend violence.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Before acting, state intent clearly, de-escalate, and prioritize question-and-answer over force—especially when misunderstanding or fear drives conflict.

Vishishtadvaita: The move from wrath to deliberation reflects sattva-oriented conduct, consonant with devotion’s pacifying power under the Lord’s moral order.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Khāṇḍikya

FAQs

What is the significance of resolving doubt (saṃśaya) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames spiritual and ethical clarity as beginning with inquiry rather than aggression—doubt is resolved through questioning, not through force.

How does Sage Parāśara’s narrative style use dialogue to teach dharma?

By embedding teachings in tense encounters—here, a potential act of violence is paused by a request for explanation—Parāśara shows dharma as lived discernment in real situations.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named, the Purāṇa’s ethic points toward alignment with the Supreme Order upheld by Vishnu: self-control, right understanding, and restraint over destructive impulse.