Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 15

Kṛṣṇa Enters Mathurā: City Splendor, Devotees’ Reception, and the Washerman’s Fate

Devanagari script

आपस्तेऽङ्‌घ्य्रवनेजन्यस्त्रींल्लोकान् शुचयोऽपुनन् । शिरसाधत्त या: शर्व: स्वर्याता: सगरात्मजा: ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

āpas te ’ṅghry-avanejanyas trīḻ lokān śucayo ’punan śirasādhatta yāḥ śarvaḥ svar yātāḥ sagarātmajāḥ

Translation

The waters of the Ganges have purified the three worlds, having become transcendental by bathing Your lotus feet. Lord Śiva bore that water upon his head, and by its grace the sons of King Sagara attained heaven.

Synonyms

• आपः: waters
• आपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (अप्-शब्दः), प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; ‘तव’

• अङ्घ्रि-अवनेजन्याः: born from washing the feet
• अङ्घ्रि-अवनेजन्याः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अङ्घ्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + अवनेजन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अङ्घ्रेः अवनेजन्याः = पाद-प्रक्षालन-सम्भूताः)

• त्रीन्: three
• त्रीन्: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (लोकान्)

• लोकान्: worlds
• लोकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• शुचयः: pure
• शुचयः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (आपः)

• अपुनन्: purified
• अपुनन्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; धातु: पू (पवने)

• शिरसा: with the head
• शिरसा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• आधत्त: placed, bore
• आधत्त: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + धा (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘आधत्त’ = ‘अधारयत्/अधत्त’

• याः: which (waters)
• याः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक-यत्; (आपः) इति कर्मरूपेण

• शर्वः: Śiva
• शर्वः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; शिवनाम

• स्वः: to heaven / in heaven
• स्वः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वर्/स्वः (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘स्वः’ = स्वर्गे/स्वर्गलोकम् (adverbial/locative sense)

• याताः: gone, having gone
• याताः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (सगरात्मजाः) इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• सगर-आत्मजाः: sons of Sagara
• सगर-आत्मजाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सगर (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सगरस्य आत्मजाः)

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Lord Shiva (Śarva)
• King Sagara
• Sagara’s sons (Sagarātmajāḥ)
• Ganga (implied by the foot-washing waters)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the purifying power of Krishna’s feet?

This verse says that the water used to wash Kṛṣṇa’s feet purifies all three worlds, showing that contact with Him—especially through devotional reverence—removes impurity and sin.

Why is Lord Shiva mentioned as carrying this water on his head?

Akrūra highlights that even Lord Śiva honors the sacred river (Gaṅgā), which is described here as the water connected with the Lord’s feet, by bearing it upon his head—demonstrating its supreme sanctity.

Practical application: how can a devotee seek purification today according to this idea?

By cultivating bhakti—hearing and chanting about Kṛṣṇa, honoring sacred remnants like caraṇāmṛta, and approaching holy places and practices with humility—one invites the same purifying grace described in this verse.