Shloka 49

कुब्जानुग्रहः, धनुर्भङ्गः, कुवलयापीडवधः, मल्लयुद्धं, कंसवधः, स्तुतयः

Devanagari script

इमौ सुललितौ रङ्गे वर्तेते नवयौवनौ दैतेयमल्लाश् चाणूरप्रमुखास् त्व् अतिदारुणाः

Transliteration

imau sulalitau raṅge vartete navayauvanau daiteyamallāś cāṇūrapramukhās tv atidāruṇāḥ

Translation

These two move in the arena with effortless grace, radiant in the freshness of youth; yet the Daitya-born wrestlers—led by Cāṇūra—are exceedingly fierce.

Word by Word

• इमौ: these two
• इमौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), द्विवचन — Nominative dual

• सुललितौ: very graceful
• सुललितौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + ललित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), द्विवचन — Nominative dual; कर्मधारयः (सु-ललितौ = अतिशयेन ललितौ)

• रङ्गे: in the arena
• रङ्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7/अधिकरण), एकवचन — Locative singular

• वर्तेते: are present / proceed
• वर्तेते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन, आत्मनेपद — Present indicative, 3rd person dual

• नवयौवनौ: newly youthful
• नवयौवनौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव + यौवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), द्विवचन — Nominative dual; कर्मधारयः (नवं यौवनं यस्य)

• दैतेयमल्लाः: Daitya wrestlers
• दैतेयमल्लाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैतेय + मल्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), बहुवचन — Nominative plural; कर्मधारयः (दैतेयाः मल्लाः)

• चाणूरप्रमुखाः: with Cāṇūra as chief
• चाणूरप्रमुखाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चाणूर + प्रमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), बहुवचन — Nominative plural; तत्पुरुषः (चाणूरः प्रमुखः येषाम्)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोधार्थक-अव्यय — particle ‘but/indeed’

• अतिदारुणाः: extremely fierce
• अतिदारुणाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + दारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), बहुवचन — Nominative plural; कर्मधारयः (अतिशयेन दारुणाः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Krishna and Balarāma enter the contest to dismantle Kaṃsa’s violent regime by overcoming the daitya-born champions.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Right order in kingship and public life by ending the coercive spectacle that terrorizes the people.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Sakhya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Balarama
• Chāṇūra
• Daityas (as a class)

FAQs

What is the significance of the contrast between grace and ferocity in this Vishnu Purana verse?

It frames Krishna and Balarama’s divine composure (līlā-like ease) against the violent, adharma-driven power of Kamsa’s Daitya wrestlers, heightening the theme that dharma ultimately prevails through Vishnu’s sovereignty.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the arena scene in the dialogue with Maitreya?

Parāśara narrates the public spectacle at Mathura as a deliberate setting where the Lord’s human-like appearance (fresh youth and grace) confronts the harsh instruments of tyranny—Chāṇūra and other wrestlers—moving the story toward Kamsa’s defeat.

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

The verse implies that the Supreme Lord can appear outwardly ordinary—two youthful boys—yet remains the decisive power over cosmic and social order, subduing demonic forces without losing divine serenity.