Shloka 13

अक्रूरस्य यमुनादर्शनम्, मथुराप्रवेशः, रजकवधः, माल्यजीवकवरदानम्

Devanagari script

स्त्रीभिर् नरैश् च सानन्दं लोचनैर् अभिवीक्षितौ जग्मतुर् लीलया वीरौ मत्तौ बालगजाव् इव

Transliteration

strībhir naraiś ca sānandaṃ locanair abhivīkṣitau jagmatur līlayā vīrau mattau bālagajāv iva

Translation

Women and men alike watched them with delighted eyes. The two heroic youths moved on in playful ease—like two young elephants, intoxicated with their own exuberant vigor.

Word by Word

• स्त्रीभिः: by women
• स्त्रीभिः: कर्ता/करण (Agent group in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• नरैः: by men
• नरैः: कर्ता/करण (Agent group in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सानन्दम्: joyfully
• सानन्दम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Manner)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (accusative of manner): ‘with joy’

• लोचनैः: with (their) eyes
• लोचनैः: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• अभिवीक्षितौ: were gazed at
• अभिवीक्षितौ: कर्म (Patient; ‘they’ as object of seeing)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-वीक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; उपसर्ग: अभि-; ‘looked at’ (passive sense)

• जग्मतुः: they went
• जग्मतुः: क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन; परस्मैपद

• लीलया: playfully
• लीलया: करण/रीति (Manner/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणभाव

• वीरौ: the two heroes
• वीरौ: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• मत्तौ: intoxicated / in rut
• मत्तौ: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; विशेषण (of वीरौ)

• बालगजौ: two young elephants
• बालगजौ: उपमान (Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक) + गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; उपमान (simile term)

• इव: like
• इव: उपमा-सूचक (Simile marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक अव्यय (simile particle)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa manifests in youthful splendor to draw the hearts of the people and to proceed toward Kaṃsa’s defeat.

Leela: Bala

Dharma Restored: Public reassurance and the turning of hearts toward dharma through darśana of the Lord

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Darśana of Bhagavān awakens spontaneous joy and devotion, even in ordinary townspeople.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Cultivate devotional seeing—visit temples, contemplate the Lord’s form, and let the heart soften into loving remembrance.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhagavān’s accessible, beautiful form (divya-maṅgala-vigraha) is a real mode of the Supreme, inviting loving relationship rather than abstraction.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Madhurya

Characters & Entities

• women (striyaḥ)
• men (narāḥ)
• two heroes (vīrau)

FAQs

What is the significance of comparing the heroes to young elephants in the Vishnu Purana?

The simile highlights overflowing youthful energy, fearlessness, and majestic presence—suggesting natural sovereignty and celebrated kshatriya vigor within the puranic royal narrative.

How does Sage Parāśara frame public acclaim in this verse?

He depicts a communal gaze—women and men watching with joy—showing that the heroes’ presence generates spontaneous approval, reinforcing their stature and destiny within the dynastic storyline.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even in a seemingly secular royal scene, the Vishnu Purana presents kingship and heroic excellence as functioning within dharma and cosmic order ultimately upheld by Vishnu as the Supreme Reality and sovereign ground of the world.