Shloka 20

Genealogies from Yayāti’s Sons to the Yadu Dynasty; Romapāda–Ṛṣyaśṛṅga; Kārtavīryārjuna; and the Rise of Yādava Branches

Devanagari script

यत्रावतीर्णो भगवान् परमात्मा नराकृति: । यदो: सहस्रजित्क्रोष्टा नलो रिपुरिति श्रुता: ॥ २० ॥ चत्वार: सूनवस्तत्र शतजित् प्रथमात्मज: । महाहयो रेणुहयो हैहयश्चेति तत्सुता: ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

yatrāvatīrṇo bhagavān paramātmā narākṛtiḥ yadoḥ sahasrajit kroṣṭā nalo ripur iti śrutāḥ

Translation

In the Yadu dynasty the Lord Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Paramātmā dwelling in the hearts of all beings, personally descended in human form. Yadu had four sons—Sahasrajit, Kroṣṭā, Nala, and Ripu.

Synonyms

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative setting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• अवतीर्णः: descended/incarnated
• अवतीर्णः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Predicate (विशेषणरूप-क्रिया; of भगवान्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-तॄ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; √तॄ (to cross/descend) with अव- उपसर्ग

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परमात्मा: the Supreme Self
• परमात्मा: Apposition (समनाधिकरण; to भगवान्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (परमः आत्मा)

• नर-आकृतिः: in human form
• नर-आकृतिः: Apposition (समनाधिकरण; describing incarnation-form)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक) + आकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नरस्य आकृतिः)

• यदोः: of Yadu
• यदोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यदु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सहस्रजित्: Sahasrajit
• सहस्रजित्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; implied 'were')
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + जित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (सहस्रं जयति इति)

• क्रोष्टा: Kroṣṭā
• क्रोष्टा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; implied 'were')
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोष्टृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नलः: Nala
• नलः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; implied 'were')
• Type: Noun
• Root: नल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रिपुः: Ripu
• रिपुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; implied 'were')
• Type: Noun
• Root: रिपु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (वाक्य-सम्बन्ध/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/समाप्तिसूचक (quotative particle)

• श्रुताः: are known/heard (as)
• श्रुताः: Kriyā (क्रिया; predicate 'are known')
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; भावे/कर्मणि अर्थः (are heard/are known)

Purport

As confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.11) :

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavān (Supreme Lord)
• Paramātmā
• Yadu
• Sahasrajit
• Kroṣṭā
• Nala
• Ripu

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Lord descending in human form?

This verse states that the Supreme Lord (Paramātmā) descended in a human-like form within the Yadu dynasty, affirming the avatāra principle in the Bhāgavatam.

Who are Sahasrajit, Kroṣṭā, Nala, and Ripu in the Bhagavatam?

They are described here as sons in the line of Yadu, listed as part of the Bhāgavatam’s sacred genealogy leading through the Yadu dynasty.

How can devotees apply the idea of avatāra in modern life?

Remembering that the Supreme can appear among humans inspires humility, reverence for dharma, and steadiness in bhakti—seeing divine purpose even within history and family lineages.