Shloka 1

Harivaṁśa-saṅkṣepa: Kṛṣṇa’s Avatāra Deeds, Dynastic Continuity, and Post-departure Succession

Devanagari script

त्रिचत्वारिंशदुत्तरशततमो ऽध्यायः ब्रह्मोवाच / हरिवंशं प्रवक्ष्यामि कृष्णमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् / वसुदेवात्तु देवक्यां वासुदेवो बलो ऽभवत्

Transliteration

tricatvāriṃśaduttaraśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ brahmovāca / harivaṃśaṃ pravakṣyāmi kṛṣṇamāhātmyamuttamam / vasudevāttu devakyāṃ vāsudevo balo 'bhavat

Translation

Brahmā said: “I shall proclaim the lineage of Hari—the supreme glory of Kṛṣṇa. From Vasudeva, in Devakī, Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa), mighty in strength, was born.”

Word by Word

• त्रिचत्वारिंशदुत्तरशततमः: the one-hundred-and-forty-third (chapter)
• त्रिचत्वारिंशदुत्तरशततमः: Visheshana (Qualifier of अध्यायः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि + चत्वारिंशत् + उत्तर + शत + तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण; समासः—(त्रिचत्वारिंशत्-उत्तर)-शत-तम (तत्पुरुष-समास-समूहः)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Speaker/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• हरिवंशम्: the lineage of Hari
• हरिवंशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरिवंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—हरेः वंशः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I shall proclaim
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple future), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• कृष्णमाहात्म्यम्: the greatness of Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णमाहात्म्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण + माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कृष्णस्य माहात्म्यम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• उत्तमम्: supreme, excellent
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणं (कृष्णमाहात्म्यम्)

• वसुदेवात्: from Vasudeva
• वसुदेवात्: Apadana (Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

• तु: indeed, but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: contrast/emphasis)

• देवक्याम्: in Devakī
• देवक्याम्: Adhikarana (Locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• वासुदेवः: Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
• वासुदेवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बलः: strong, mighty
• बलः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणं (वासुदेवः)

• अभवत्: was born/became
• अभवत्: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Brahmā

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Avatāra-tattva: the Supreme manifests as Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa) in Devakī for the world’s welfare; remembering lineage and māhātmya nourishes devotion.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara’s līlā and avatāra as compassionate governance (anugraha); nāma-rūpa manifestation without compromising transcendence.

Application: Practice kṛṣṇa-māhātmya śravaṇa/kīrtana; contemplate avatāra as a model for righteous strength used for protection.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: sacred region/city (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.144 (Harivaṃśa/Kṛṣṇa-māhātmya section opening)

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Hari
• Kṛṣṇa
• Vasudeva
• Devakī
• Vāsudeva

FAQs

What is the importance of Kṛṣṇa-māhātmya in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse introduces a dedicated section where Brahmā announces he will describe the Harivaṃśa and the supreme glory of Kṛṣṇa, framing Kṛṣṇa’s life as spiritually authoritative and worthy of recitation.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly discuss post-death journeys; instead, it shifts to devotion-centered teaching by presenting Kṛṣṇa’s divine manifestation—traditionally understood to support bhakti as a liberating path.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a cue for devotional study: reciting and reflecting on Kṛṣṇa’s greatness (māhātmya) is presented as a spiritually uplifting practice that strengthens dharma and devotion.