Shloka 14

अक्रूरस्य यमुनादर्शनम्, मथुराप्रवेशः, रजकवधः, माल्यजीवकवरदानम्

Devanagari script

भ्रममाणौ तु तौ दृष्ट्वा रजकं रङ्गकारकम् अयाचेतां सुरूपाणि वासांसि रुचिराननौ

Transliteration

bhramamāṇau tu tau dṛṣṭvā rajakaṃ raṅgakārakam ayācetāṃ surūpāṇi vāsāṃsi rucirānanau

Translation

As they wandered on, they saw a washerman and a dyer. Those two radiant-faced youths asked him for fine, well-made garments.

Word by Word

• भ्रममाणौ: wandering
• भ्रममाणौ: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ/शानच्-वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘wandering’

• तु: but / indeed
• तु: निपातार्थ (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• तौ: those two
• तौ: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Absolutive; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; ‘having seen’

• रजकम्: a washerman
• रजकम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• रङ्गकारकम्: maker for the stage (dyer/costumer)
• रङ्गकारकम्: कर्म (Appositional object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रङ्गस्य कारकः)

• अयाचेताम्: they requested / begged
• अयाचेताम्: क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: याच् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन; परस्मैपद; अ-आगम (augment)

• सुरूपाणि: beautiful
• सुरूपाणि: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (of वासांसि)

• वासांसि: garments
• वासांसि: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• रुचिराननौ: the two with lovely faces
• रुचिराननौ: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुचिर (प्रातिपदिक) + आनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; विशेषण (of तौ)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa proceeds through Mathurā gathering the means for the impending royal encounter with Kaṃsa, while displaying effortless sovereignty in ordinary exchanges.

Leela: Bala

Dharma Restored: Upholding dignity and auspiciousness of the avatāra’s public manifestation before restoring order

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Contact with the Lord sanctifies ordinary work and objects, turning commerce into an occasion for grace and service.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Offer one’s skills and resources as seva—treat daily labor as an offering, not merely transaction.

Vishishtadvaita: Śrī’s auspicious presence is implied in the Lord’s radiance and prosperity-bestowing contact, aligning with Śrī-Vaiṣṇava emphasis on divine auspiciousness (maṅgalatva).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Balarama
• Washerman (Rajaka)
• Dyer (Rangakaraka)
• Mathura

FAQs

What is the significance of Krishna asking for garments in the Vishnu Purana?

It marks Krishna’s deliberate entry into Mathura’s public sphere before Kamsa’s downfall, showing how the Supreme moves through ordinary encounters to set dharma in motion.

How does Sage Parasara frame this episode within the larger Krishna narrative?

As a sequential lila: Krishna and Balarama proceed through Mathura meeting townspeople, and each meeting becomes a turning point that foreshadows the restoration of righteous order.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu, as Krishna, appears fully sovereign yet approachable—engaging the world directly while guiding events toward the protection of devotees and the re-establishment of dharma.