Shloka 15

अक्रूरस्य यमुनादर्शनम्, मथुराप्रवेशः, रजकवधः, माल्यजीवकवरदानम्

Devanagari script

कंसस्य रजकः सो ऽथ प्रसादारूढविस्मयः बहून्य् आक्षेपवाक्यानि प्राहोच्चै रामकेशवौ

Transliteration

kaṃsasya rajakaḥ so 'tha prasādārūḍhavismayaḥ bahūny ākṣepavākyāni prāhoccai rāmakeśavau

Translation

Then Kamsa’s washerman, emboldened by the king’s favor, cried out loudly and spoke many taunting, insulting words to Rama and Keshava.

Word by Word

• कंसस्य: of Kaṃsa
• कंसस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• रजकः: the washerman
• रजकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• प्रसाद-आरूढ-विस्मयः: with astonishment risen from (royal) favor/pride
• प्रसाद-आरूढ-विस्मयः: Visheshana (Qualifier of कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक) + आरूढ (कृदन्त; √रुह्/रुहँ आरोहणे, क्त) + विस्मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—तत्पुरुष (प्रसादे आरूढः विस्मयः यस्य/प्रसादारूढः विस्मयः)

• बहूनि: many
• बहूनि: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• आक्षेप-वाक्यानि: insulting/taunting words
• आक्षेप-वाक्यानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आक्षेप (प्रातिपदिक) + वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (आक्षेपस्य वाक्यानि)

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √प्र-आह् (धातु; आह्/अहँ कथने)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• उच्चैः: aloud
• उच्चैः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उच्चैः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• राम-केशवौ: Rāma and Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)
• राम-केशवौ: Karma (Addressee/Target; कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक) + केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (रामश्च केशवश्च)

Speaker

Narrator (traditionally Sage Parashara relating events to Maitreya); the quoted speech is by Kamsa’s washerman

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To remove Kaṃsa’s oppressive rule and lighten the earth’s burden by protecting the righteous in Vraja and Mathurā.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Protection of the innocent and restraint of arrogant cruelty under royal power

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Characters & Entities

• Kamsa
• Washerman (rajaka)
• Balarama (Rama)
• Krishna (Keshava)

FAQs

What is the significance of Kamsa’s washerman insulting Rama and Keshava in the Vishnu Purana?

It shows how Kamsa’s regime empowers ordinary men to act with arrogance and adharma, setting the moral and narrative tension before Krishna’s re-establishment of dharma.

How does Sage Parashara frame this confrontation in the dialogue tradition of the Vishnu Purana?

Parashara narrates a chain of encounters in Mathura where opposition arises from those supported by Kamsa, illustrating the social spread of unrighteousness that Krishna will decisively check.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu (as Krishna/Keshava) in this context?

Krishna, as Vishnu’s supreme presence within history, allows adharma to reveal itself openly; the insults become a prelude to divine correction and the restoration of rightful order.