Shloka 1

कुब्जानुग्रहः, धनुर्भङ्गः, कुवलयापीडवधः, मल्लयुद्धं, कंसवधः, स्तुतयः

Devanagari script

राजमार्गे ततः कृष्णः सानुलेपनभाजनाम् ददर्श कुब्जाम् आयान्तीं नवयौवनगोचराम्

Transliteration

rājamārge tataḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sānulepanabhājanām dadarśa kubjām āyāntīṃ navayauvanagocarām

Translation

Then, upon the royal road, Śrī Kṛṣṇa saw Kubjā approaching, bearing a vessel of fragrant unguents; the bloom of fresh youth made her catch the eye.

Word by Word

• राजमार्गे: on the royal road
• राजमार्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; राजमार्गे = राज्ञः मार्गे (राजमार्गे)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) = तस्मात्/ततः (then/thereafter)

• कृष्णः: Krishna
• कृष्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सानुलेपनभाजनाम्: carrying an ointment-vessel
• सानुलेपनभाजनाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग-सदृश/सह) + अनुलेपन (प्रातिपदिक) + भाजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; स- (सहित) + अनुलेपनभाजन (अनुलेपनस्य भाजनम्) = ‘with an ointment-vessel’; कुब्जाम् विशेषणम्

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• कुब्जाम्: the hunchback woman (Kubjā)
• कुब्जाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुब्जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आयान्तीम्: coming
• आयान्तीम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + या (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कुब्जाम् विशेषणम्

• नवयौवनगोचराम्: in the bloom of youth
• नवयौवनगोचराम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव (प्रातिपदिक) + यौवन (प्रातिपदिक) + गोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; नवयौवनस्य गोचरा = ‘within the range of new youth’; कुब्जाम् विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He descends to protect the earth by removing the tyrannical burden of Kaṁsa and restoring dharma through divine līlā.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Protection of the righteous and reorientation of worldly life toward bhakti

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Madhurya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Kubjā
• Mathurā (implied by royal road context)

FAQs

What is the significance of Kubjā in the Vishnu Purana?

Kubjā’s appearance marks a key Mathurā episode where Krishna’s compassionate agency enters everyday life, showing how the Lord can transform a seemingly minor meeting into a meaningful turning point within His līlā.

How does Sage Parāśara frame Krishna’s actions in this narrative?

Parāśara narrates Krishna’s movements as purposeful and ordered—events unfold not as chance, but as part of the avatar’s deliberate unfolding of dharma and divine intention.

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

Even in a simple roadside encounter, Krishna is presented as the supreme Lord whose presence sanctifies and redirects worldly situations, emphasizing divine sovereignty and grace central to Vaishnava theology.