Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 17
The Killing of Keśī and Vyomāsura; Nārada’s Prophetic Praise of Kṛṣṇa
चाणूरं मुष्टिकं चैव मल्लानन्यांश्च हस्तिनम् । कंसं च निहतं द्रक्ष्ये परश्वोऽहनि ते विभो ॥ १५ ॥ तस्यानु शङ्खयवनमुराणां नरकस्य च । पारिजातापहरणमिन्द्रस्य च पराजयम् ॥ १६ ॥ उद्वाहं वीरकन्यानां वीर्यशुल्कादिलक्षणम् । नृगस्य मोक्षणं शापाद्द्वारकायां जगत्पते ॥ १७ ॥ स्यमन्तकस्य च मणेरादानं सह भार्यया । मृतपुत्रप्रदानं च ब्राह्मणस्य स्वधामत: ॥ १८ ॥ पौण्ड्रकस्य वधं पश्चात् काशिपुर्याश्च दीपनम् । दन्तवक्रस्य निधनं चैद्यस्य च महाक्रतौ ॥ १९ ॥ यानि चान्यानि वीर्याणि द्वारकामावसन्भवान् । कर्ता द्रक्ष्याम्यहं तानि गेयानि कविभिर्भुवि ॥ २० ॥
cāṇūraṁ muṣṭikaṁ caiva mallān anyāṁś ca hastinam kaṁsaṁ ca nihataṁ drakṣye paraśvo ’hani te vibho
O almighty Lord, in only two days I shall behold by Your own hand the fall of Cāṇūra, Muṣṭika and the other wrestlers, and also of the elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa and King Kaṁsa. Thereafter I shall see You slay Śaṅkhāsura, Kālayavana, Mura and Naraka, carry off the pārijāta flower, and defeat Indra. I shall witness You wed many daughters of heroic kings, with Your valor itself as the bride-price; and in Dvārakā, O Lord of the universe, You will free King Nṛga from his curse and accept the Syamantaka jewel along with another queen. You will restore a brāhmaṇa’s dead son from the realm of Yamarāja, Your servant; then You will kill Pauṇḍraka, burn the city of Kāśī, strike down Dantavakra, and end the king of Cedi at the great Rājasūya sacrifice. All these heroic līlās—and many more You perform while dwelling in Dvārakā—glorified on earth in the songs of transcendental poets, I shall behold.
FAQs
This verse foretells that in Dvārakā, Śrī Kṛṣṇa will free King Nṛga from the bondage of a curse, showing the Lord’s compassion and power to deliver the afflicted.
Akrūra, overwhelmed with devotion, glorifies Kṛṣṇa by anticipating the Lord’s forthcoming Dvārakā pastimes—affirming that Kṛṣṇa’s life is filled with divine deeds worthy of being sung by sages.
The verse encourages faith that sincere surrender and remembrance of the Lord can transform even long-standing suffering—inviting a devotee to seek divine shelter rather than despair.