Shloka 19

The Killing of Cāṇūra, Muṣṭika, and Kaṁsa; Liberation and Restoration of Dharma in Mathurā

Devanagari script

तैस्तैर्नियुद्धविधिभिर्विविधैरच्युतेतरौ । युयुधाते यथान्योन्यं तथैव बलमुष्टिकौ ॥ १९ ॥

Transliteration

tais tair niyuddha-vidhibhir vividhair acyutetarau yuyudhāte yathānyonyaṁ tathaiva bala-muṣṭikau

Translation

Lord Balarāma and Muṣṭika, displaying many arts of wrestling, fought one another just as Lord Kṛṣṇa fought His own opponent.

Synonyms

• तैः: by those
• तैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (neuter)

• तैः: by those (various)
• तैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (neuter) (repeated for emphasis/distribution)

• नियुद्ध-विधिभिः: by the rules/methods of wrestling
• नियुद्ध-विधिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नियुद्धस्य विधयः)

• विविधैः: various
• विविधैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural; विशेषणम् (नियुद्ध-विधिभिः)

• अच्युत-इतरौ: Acyuta and the other (wrestler)
• अच्युत-इतरौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत (प्रातिपदिक) + इतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; Nominative dual; समासः तत्पुरुषः (अच्युतः च इतरः च—‘Acyuta and the other’)

• युयुधाते: they fought
• युयुधाते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परिप्रश्न/परोक्शभूत), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन; Perfect, 3rd person dual, middle

• यथा: as
• यथा: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक; adverb ‘as/how’

• अन्योन्यम्: each other, mutually
• अन्योन्यम्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्योन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण, द्वितीया-एकवचन-आकारः; adverbially ‘mutually’

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक; adverb ‘thus/so’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक; particle ‘indeed/just’

• बल-मुष्टिकौ: Bala and Muṣṭika
• बल-मुष्टिकौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक) + मुष्टिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; Nominative dual; समासः इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (बलः च मुष्टिकः च)

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa (Acyuta)
• Balarāma
• Muṣṭika

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna’s wrestling in Mathura?

This verse describes Kṛṣṇa and His opponent engaging in many regulated wrestling techniques, while Balarāma simultaneously fights Muṣṭika—showing the Lord’s mastery within human-like līlā while preparing to remove the forces of adharma.

Why is Krishna called Acyuta in this verse?

Acyuta means “the infallible one”—even while participating in a worldly contest like wrestling, Kṛṣṇa never deviates from His divine purpose of protecting the righteous and defeating the wicked.

Practical application of Krishna’s līlā of confronting strong opponents in modern life?

The verse encourages disciplined effort and courage: face challenges with proper method and steadiness, remembering that dharma is upheld through determined, skillful action aligned with higher purpose.