Shloka 69

कुब्जानुग्रहः, धनुर्भङ्गः, कुवलयापीडवधः, मल्लयुद्धं, कंसवधः, स्तुतयः

Devanagari script

ववल्गतुस् तदा रङ्गे कृष्णसंकर्षणाव् उभौ समानवयसो गोपान् बलाद् आकृष्य हर्षितौ

Transliteration

vavalgatus tadā raṅge kṛṣṇasaṃkarṣaṇāv ubhau samānavayaso gopān balād ākṛṣya harṣitau

Translation

Then, in the arena, both Kṛṣṇa and Saṅkarṣaṇa sprang and sported about, and—seizing the cowherd boys of their own age by sheer strength—drew them toward themselves.

Word by Word

• ववल्गतुः: leapt/sprang
• ववल्गतुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वल्ग् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), द्विवचन — 3rd dual perfect

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

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

• कृष्णसंकर्षणौ: Kṛṣṇa and Saṅkarṣaṇa (Balarāma)
• कृष्णसंकर्षणौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + संकर्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन — Nominative dual

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन — Nominative dual

• समानवयसः: of the same age
• समानवयसः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समान (प्रातिपदिक) + वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (समानं वयः यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन — agreeing with उभौ

• गोपान्: the cowherds
• गोपान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — Accusative plural

• बलात्: forcibly
• बलात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) — ‘by force/forcibly’

• आकृष्य: having dragged/pulled
• आकृष्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-कृष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्यय — ‘having pulled’

• हर्षितौ: delighted; exhilarated
• हर्षितौ: Karta (Subject complement/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हर्षित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन — Nominative dual

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa descends to protect devotees and dismantle Kaṃsa’s adharma while revealing divine sovereignty through human-like play.

Leela: Bala

Dharma Restored: Assurance of divine protection and the sanctification of joy (ānanda) as a mode of dharma among the devoted

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord freely manifests among companions as ‘one of them,’ yet remains the sovereign whose power is effortless and protective.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Cultivate simple, trustful devotion—seeing the divine present in ordinary companionship and play, without losing reverence.

Vishishtadvaita: Parabrahman is accessible in saulabhya (easy approachability) while retaining aiśvarya (lordly majesty), harmonizing intimacy and supremacy.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Sakhya

Vyuha Form: Sankarshana

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Sankarshana (Balarama)

FAQs

What is the significance of Krishna’s ‘play’ in the arena in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames the arena scene as līlā—Krishna and Balarama appear playful, yet their effortless strength signals divine sovereignty operating within human events.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Lord’s power through ordinary actions?

Parāśara often presents the Lord’s supremacy through simple, narrative gestures—here, a childlike game becomes a revelation of irresistible strength and control within the unfolding dharmic order.

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

Krishna’s conduct shows the Vaishnava idea that the Supreme remains fully transcendent while immanent in an avatar—guiding beings and destiny even while appearing as one among them.