Shloka 17

अक्रूरस्य यमुनादर्शनम्, मथुराप्रवेशः, रजकवधः, माल्यजीवकवरदानम्

Devanagari script

हत्वादाय च वस्त्राणि पीतनीलाम्बरौ ततः कृष्णरामौ मुदा युक्तौ मालाकारगृहं गतौ

Transliteration

hatvādāya ca vastrāṇi pītanīlāmbarau tataḥ kṛṣṇarāmau mudā yuktau mālākāragṛhaṃ gatau

Translation

Having slain him and taken the garments, Krishna and Rama then donned yellow and deep-blue robes and, rejoicing together, went to the garland-maker’s house.

Word by Word

• हत्वा: having killed
• हत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन् (धातु; हनँ हिंसायाम्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√दा (धातु; डा/दा दाने)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• वस्त्राणि: garments
• वस्त्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• पीत-नील-अम्बरौ: wearing yellow and blue garments
• पीत-नील-अम्बरौ: Visheshana (Qualifier of कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीत (प्रातिपदिक) + नील (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; विशेषण; समासः—कर्मधारय (पीतं च नीलं च अम्बरं यस्य/ययोः)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Discourse adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-तसिल्)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमसूचक (then)

• कृष्ण-रामौ: Kṛṣṇa and Rāma
• कृष्ण-रामौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (कृष्णश्च रामश्च)

• मुदा: with joy
• मुदा: Hetu/Instrument (Manner/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्/मुदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• युक्तौ: joined/attended (together)
• युक्तौ: Visheshana (Qualifier of कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त (कृदन्त; √युज्/युजँ योगे, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; विशेषण

• मालाकार-गृहं: the garland-maker’s house
• मालाकार-गृहं: Karma (Goal as object with गम्/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मालाकार (प्रातिपदिक) + गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मालाकारस्य गृहं)

• गतौ: went/having gone
• गतौ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गत (कृदन्त; √गम्/गमँ गतौ, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) used predicatively; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

Speaker

Sage Parashara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To proceed toward the public revelation of his divinity in Mathurā while receiving offerings that become instruments of līlā.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Rightful honor to the divine and the reordering of fear into devotion among citizens

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Sakhya

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Balarama (Rama)
• Malakara (garland-maker)

FAQs

What is the significance of Krishna and Balarama taking the garments in this Vishnu Purana verse?

It marks their fearless entry into Kamsa’s domain and their divine authority—royal insignia and social power are shown as subordinate to Krishna’s will.

How does Sage Parashara explain the unfolding of Krishna-lila in this chapter?

Parashara narrates a sequence of public, city-centered episodes in Mathura where Krishna and Balarama move openly, establishing inevitability of Kamsa’s downfall through decisive actions.

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

Krishna is presented as Vishnu’s supreme descent: acting within the world’s order to restore dharma, yet remaining the sovereign reality whose presence reorients worldly power.