Shloka 1

Śālva Attacks Dvārakā; Pradyumna Leads the Defense

Saubha-vimāna and Māyā-yuddha

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच अथान्यदपि कृष्णस्य श‍ृणु कर्माद्भ‍ुतं नृप । क्रीडानरशरीरस्य यथा सौभपतिर्हत: ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca athānyad api kṛṣṇasya śṛṇu karmādbhutaṁ nṛpa krīḍā-nara-śarīrasya yathā saubha-patir hataḥ

Translation

Śukadeva sprach: O König, höre nun von einer weiteren wunderbaren Tat Śrī Kṛṣṇas, der in menschenähnlicher Gestalt erschien, um Seine transzendenten Līlās zu genießen; höre, wie Er den Herrn von Saubha tötete.

Synonyms

• श्री-शुकः: Śrī Śuka
• श्री-शुकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीशुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); proper noun; compound: श्री + शुक (honorific + name)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha/Discourse marker (सम्बन्ध/वाक्योपक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle (निपात) indicating sequence

• अन्यत्: another (thing)
• अन्यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Modifier (विशेषक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle (निपात)

• कृष्णस्य: of Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• शृणु: hear
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• कर्म: deed
• कर्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• अद्भुतम्: wonderful
• अद्भुतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with कर्म

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• क्रीडा-नर-शरीरस्य: of (him who had) a human body for play
• क्रीडा-नर-शरीरस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रीडा + नर + शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) head: शरीर; Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); compound: क्रीडायै (for play) नर-शरीरम् (human body)

• यथा: how; as
• यथा: Prakaraṇa (प्रकरण/रीति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb/conjunction (अव्यय) introducing manner/comparison

• सौभ-पतिः: the lord of Saubha (Śālva)
• सौभ-पतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौभ + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); compound: सौभस्य पति (lord of Saubha)

• हतः: was slain
• हतः: Karta-predicate (कर्तृ-विशेषण/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/कृत), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with सौभपतिः

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Parīkṣit Mahārāja
• Kṛṣṇa
• Śālva (Saubhapati)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna appearing in a human form?

This verse describes Kṛṣṇa as krīḍā-nara-śarīra—He manifests a human-like form for His divine pastimes, while His deeds remain extraordinary and worship-worthy.

Why did Śukadeva Gosvāmī say this to King Parīkṣit?

Śukadeva is continuing Krishna-kathā for Parīkṣit, introducing the next episode—Kṛṣṇa’s slaying of Śālva, the master of Saubha—as another astonishing divine act to be heard with devotion.

Practical application of hearing Krishna’s pastimes in modern life?

Regularly hearing and reflecting on Kṛṣṇa’s līlā builds faith, steadies the mind, and redirects attention from fear and distraction toward devotion and inner strength.