Shloka 17

साम्ब-हरणम्, बलदेवस्य रोषः, हस्तिनापुर-आकर्षणम्

Devanagari script

गर्वम् आरोपिता यूयं समानासनभोजनैः को दोषो भवतां नीतिर् यत् प्रीत्या नावलोकिता

Transliteration

garvam āropitā yūyaṃ samānāsanabhojanaiḥ ko doṣo bhavatāṃ nītir yat prītyā nāvalokitā

Translation

因被以同等相待——同席而坐、同食而餐——你们便骄气膨胀。若未以爱意相视，你们的行止有何过失？又违背了哪一条礼法？

Word by Word

• गर्वम्: pride
• गर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• आरोपिता: has been imposed/placed
• आरोपिता: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह्/आ-रोप् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (अस्मिन् वाक्ये) विधेय—‘आरोपिता (अस्ति)’

• यूयम्: you (all)
• यूयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; मध्यमपुरुषार्थक सर्वनाम

• समानासनभोजनैः: by (sharing) equal seating and eating
• समानासनभोजनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समान + आसन + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (आसनं च भोजनं च) ‘समान-’ उपपदपूर्वक

• कः: what? / which?
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• दोषः: fault, offense
• दोषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भवताम्: of you (hon.)
• भवताम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; आदरार्थक सर्वनाम

• नीतिः: conduct, policy
• नीतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यत्: that (because)
• यत्: Hetu/Reason (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• प्रीत्या: with affection
• प्रीत्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Modifier (Upasarga/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• अवलोकिता: was looked at/considered
• अवलोकिता: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-लोक् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय—‘अवलोकिता (अस्ति)’

Speaker

Uncertain from single-verse extract (likely a rebuke spoken within a narrative episode recounted by Sage Parāśara to Maitreya).

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: revealing

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Krishna descends to regulate power through dharma, exposing pride born of privilege and restoring right relationship among rulers.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Nīti (propriety), humility, and affectionate regard aligned with dharma rather than ego.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Familiarity and equal honor should mature into affection and humility, not pride that blinds one to nīti.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Treat shared privilege (access, status, intimacy) as a responsibility; check entitlement and cultivate respectful affection in speech and conduct.

Vishishtadvaita: Ethical order (nīti/dharma) is a mode of service to Bhagavān’s world; pride is a distortion of the self’s proper dependence (śeṣatva).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Shanta

FAQs

What is the significance of pride (garva) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames pride as something that can arise even from honor and equality (sharing seat and food), warning that social privilege can distort judgment and dharmic behavior.

How does Sage Parāśara explain nīti (proper conduct) in narrative contexts?

Through pointed dialogue and rebuke, the text tests whether one’s ‘nīti’ is rooted in humility and affection rather than status-consciousness and self-importance.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when Vishnu is not named, the Purāṇa’s moral teaching serves the larger Vaishnava vision: dharma and right disposition sustain the divinely ordered world governed by the Supreme Reality, Vishnu.