Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 18

The Exposition of the Table of Contents of the Brahmavaivarta Purāṇa

Devanagari script

सहाक्रूरेण तत्पश्चान्मथुरागमनं हरेः । कंसादीनां वधे वृत्ते कृष्णस्य द्विजसंस्कृतिः ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

sahākrūreṇa tatpaścānmathurāgamanaṃ hareḥ | kaṃsādīnāṃ vadhe vṛtte kṛṣṇasya dvijasaṃskṛtiḥ || 18 ||

Translation

Daraufhin ging Hari, begleitet von Akrūra, nach Mathurā. Nachdem Kaṃsa und seine Verbündeten getötet worden waren, unterzog sich Kṛṣṇa den Saṃskāras eines Dvija, einschließlich der Upanayana-Einweihung und verwandter Riten.

Word by Word

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakari (सहकारी)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-योगे अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable: with)

• अक्रूरेण: with Akrūra
• अक्रूरेण: Sahakari (सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्रूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• तत्: then
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-पूर्वपदसदृश प्रयोग (correlative adverbial use: then/thereupon)

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (afterwards)

• मथुरा-गमनम्: the going to Mathurā
• मथुरा-गमनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मथुरा (प्रातिपदिक) + गम् (धातु) → गमन (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मथुरायाः गमनम् / मथुरां गमनम्)

• हरेः: of Hari (Kṛṣṇa)
• हरेः: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन

• कंस-आदीनाम्: of Kaṃsa and others
• कंस-आदीनाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कंस (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कंसश्च ये च आदयः तेषाम्)

• वधे: in the slaying
• वधे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• वृत्ते: when (it) had happened
• वृत्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु) → वृत्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute): 'when it had occurred'

• कृष्णस्य: of Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• द्विज-संस्कृतिः: the (brahminical) initiation/rite (of Kṛṣṇa)
• द्विज-संस्कृतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्कृतिः/संस्कृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (द्विजत्वस्य/द्विज-संस्कारस्य संस्कृतिः = initiation/rite)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Krishna/Vishnu)
• Akrura
• Mathura
• Kamsa
• Krishna

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It compresses key turning points of Kṛṣṇa-līlā—His divinely guided arrival in Mathurā, the removal of adharmic rule through Kaṃsa’s destruction, and the honoring of dharma through saṃskāra—showing that the Supreme both protects devotees and upholds Vedic order.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

By naming Hari’s deeds—going to Mathurā for the devotee’s cause and destroying Kaṃsa—it invites remembrance (smaraṇa) of Kṛṣṇa’s līlā; bhakti is strengthened through hearing and recounting these acts as sacred history.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to saṃskāra-vidhi—especially dvija-saṃskṛti (upanayana and allied rites)—a practical dharma topic connected to Kalpa (ritual procedure) and Smārta conduct, emphasizing that even avatāra-līlā models adherence to prescribed rites.