Shloka 74

कुब्जानुग्रहः, धनुर्भङ्गः, कुवलयापीडवधः, मल्लयुद्धं, कंसवधः, स्तुतयः

Devanagari script

केशेष्व् आकृष्य विगलत्किरीटम् अवनीतले कंसं स पातयाम् आस तस्योपरि पपात च

Transliteration

keśeṣv ākṛṣya vigalatkirīṭam avanītale kaṃsaṃ sa pātayām āsa tasyopari papāta ca

Translation

Grabbing Kaṃsa by the hair—his crown slipping away—he hurled him to the ground and then fell upon him, utterly overpowering him.

Word by Word

• केशेषु: in/at the hair (by the hair)
• केशेषु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• आकृष्य: having dragged/pulled
• आकृष्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + कृष् (धातु √कृष्) (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्ययभाव: ‘आकृष्य’ = having pulled

• विगलत्किरीटम्: with (his) crown slipping off
• विगलत्किरीटम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विगलत् (कृदन्त, √गल्) + किरीट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास: ‘विगलत् किरीटम्’ = whose crown is slipping off; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (कंसम् विशेषयति)

• अवनीतले: on the ground
• अवनीतले: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवनि + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ: ‘अवनेः तलम्’ = ground-surface; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• कंसम्: Kaṃsa
• कंसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

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

• पातयाम्: caused to fall / threw down
• पातयाम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु √पत्) (णिच् causative)
• Form: लिट्-पर्याय/परिप्रयोग: ‘पातयाम् आस’ = causative periphrastic perfect; ‘पातयाम्’ = कृदन्त/आमन्त-रूप (periphrastic element)

• आस: did/was (aux.)
• आस: Kriya (Auxiliary/सहायकक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु √अस्)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्ष), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; सहायकक्रिया (auxiliary)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• उपरि: upon
• उपरि: Deshadhikarana (Locative sense/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपसर्गसदृश/पूर्वप्रयोग): स्थानवाचक ‘upon/over’

• पपात: fell
• पपात: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु √पत्)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्ष), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Conjunction (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/coordination conjunction)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To execute swift justice upon Kaṃsa and end his oppression of the righteous.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Protection of subjects and re-establishment of legitimate sovereignty.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Kamsa

FAQs

What is the significance of Krishna pulling Kamsa down by the hair in the Vishnu Purana?

It dramatizes the decisive reversal of tyrannical power: the usurper is publicly humbled, and dharma is restored through the Lord’s direct intervention.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the fall of Kamsa in the dialogue framework?

Parāśara narrates the event to Maitreya as a culmination of Krishna’s avatāra purpose—ending oppression and fulfilling the cosmic order that Vishnu upholds.

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

The verse presents the avatāra as the Supreme Lord acting in time: not merely heroic force, but divine sovereignty that protects the righteous and re-establishes universal order.