Shloka 27

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

Devanagari script

तर्ह्येव हि शल: कृष्णप्रपदाहतशीर्षक: । द्विधा विदीर्णस्तोशलक उभावपि निपेततु: ॥ २७ ॥

Transliteration

tarhy eva hi śalaḥ kṛṣṇa- prapadāhata-śīrṣakaḥ dvidhā vidīrṇas tośalaka ubhāv api nipetatuḥ

Translation

Then Kṛṣṇa kicked Śala in the head and tore Tośalaka in two, and both wrestlers fell down dead.

Synonyms

• तर्हि: then/at that time
• तर्हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tarhi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (temporal adverb/कालवाचक)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/निपात)

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/निपात; emphasis/causal nuance)

• शलः: Śala (the wrestler)
• शलः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कृष्ण: of Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्ण: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषे पूर्वपदम् (in compound), प्रातिपदिक-रूपेण

• प्रपदा: by the sole/foot
• प्रपदा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prapadā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-तत्पुरुषे पूर्वपदम् (in compound), प्रातिपदिक-रूपेण; ‘पदतल/पादतल’ अर्थे

• आहत: struck
• आहत: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-han (धातु) + -ta (कृत्)
• Form: PPP/क्त, समासमध्यस्थ-विशेषणम्

• शीर्षकः: whose head was struck by Kṛṣṇa’s foot
• शीर्षकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śīrṣaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिसमासः: कृष्ण-प्रपदा-आहत-शीर्षकः = ‘यस्य शीर्षं कृष्णस्य प्रपदा आहतम्’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘शलः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• द्विधा: in two parts
• द्विधा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dvidhā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• विदीर्णः: split/torn apart
• विदीर्णः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-dṝ (धातु) + -ta (कृत्)
• Form: PPP/क्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘शलः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तोशलकः: Tośalaka (the wrestler)
• तोशलकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tośalaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उभाव्: both (of them)
• उभाव्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/निपात)

• निपेततुः: fell down
• निपेततुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-pat (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Śala

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna defeating the wrestlers in Mathura?

In this verse, Śukadeva describes Kṛṣṇa’s effortless victory—one strike of His foot splits the wrestler Śala’s head, showing the Lord’s supreme power in His Mathurā līlā.

Why did Krishna fight and kill wrestlers like Śala in Canto 10?

These wrestlers were agents of Kaṁsa’s oppression; Kṛṣṇa’s slaying of them is part of restoring dharma and protecting the innocent while enacting His divine pastimes.

What is the practical lesson from Krishna’s victory over Śala?

The verse reminds devotees that adharma, however strong it appears, is ultimately powerless before the Lord—encouraging faith, courage, and steady devotion in difficult circumstances.