Shloka 11

स्वाध्याय-योगोपदेशः तथा केशिध्वज-खाण्डिक्य-उपाख्यानम्

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

Devanagari script

पुरोधसा मन्त्रिभिश् च समवेतो ऽल्पसाधनः राज्यान् निराकृतः सो ऽथ दुर्गारण्यचरो ऽभवत्

Transliteration

purodhasā mantribhiś ca samaveto 'lpasādhanaḥ rājyān nirākṛtaḥ so 'tha durgāraṇyacaro 'bhavat

Translation

虽有国师与群臣相随，然资用寡薄，他被逐出国境；于是出没于险峻荒林，成了林野行者。

Word by Word

• पुरोधसा: with the priest (purohita)
• पुरोधसा: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरोधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; सहकारक-भाव (with/along with)

• मन्त्रिभिः: with ministers
• मन्त्रिभिः: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; instrumental plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• समवेतः: assembled, accompanied
• समवेतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + अव + इ (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle, active sense); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; "assembled/come together"

• अल्पसाधनः: having scant resources
• अल्पसाधनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + साधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: अल्पानि साधनानि यस्य सः; "having few resources"

• राज्यान्: the kingdom
• राज्यान्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; (form with -ān as Vedic/epic acc. sg. of -ya stem)

• निराकृतः: was cast out, expelled
• निराकृतः: Kriya (Predicate participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर् + आ + कृ (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; "rejected/expelled"

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; pronoun

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse marker (Avyaya/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भ (then/thereupon)

• दुर्गारण्यचरः: dwelling in a difficult forest
• दुर्गारण्यचरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies सः); दुर्गे अरण्ये चरः इति सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; parasmaipada

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Characters & Entities

• Royal priest (purohita)
• Ministers (mantrins)

FAQs

What is the significance of forest-exile (araṇya-vāsa) in the Vishnu Purana’s royal narratives?

It marks a fall from political sovereignty into hardship, often functioning as a dharmic test and a turning-point that reshapes a dynasty’s future.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the collapse of kingship in this context?

By showing that even with priestly and ministerial support, a ruler lacking resources can be expelled—highlighting the fragile, contingent nature of rājya within the larger moral order.

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

The verse fits the Purāṇic view that worldly power rises and falls under a higher cosmic sovereignty—ultimately grounded in Vishnu as the supreme regulator of order and destiny.