Shloka 5

रुक्मिणी-हरणम्, विरोधि-राजगणः, रुक्मी-प्रतिज्ञा-पराजयः, प्रद्युम्न-जन्म

Devanagari script

कृष्णो ऽपि बलभद्राद्यैर् यादवैर् बहुभिर् वृतः प्रययौ कुण्डिनं द्रष्टुं विवाहं चेदिभूभृतः

Transliteration

kṛṣṇo 'pi balabhadrādyair yādavair bahubhir vṛtaḥ prayayau kuṇḍinaṃ draṣṭuṃ vivāhaṃ cedibhūbhṛtaḥ

Translation

Kṛṣṇa too, surrounded by many Yādavas led by Balabhadra, set out for Kuṇḍina to witness the wedding of the Cedi king.

Word by Word

• कृष्णः: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle; emphasis/also)

• बलभद्राद्यैः: with Balabhadra and others
• बलभद्राद्यैः: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलभद्र + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (सह/साधन), बहुवचन; ‘आदि’ = etc.; ‘बलभद्रादयः’ इत्यस्य तृतीया बहुवचन

• यादवैः: with the Yādavas
• यादवैः: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यादव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (सह), बहुवचन

• बहुभिः: many
• बहुभिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (यादवैः इति)

• वृतः: surrounded
• वृतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृ (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) ‘surrounded’; विशेषण (कृष्णः इति)

• प्रययौ: set out; went
• प्रययौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु) उपसर्ग-प्र (प्र + या)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• कुण्डिनम्: Kuṇḍina (city)
• कुण्डिनम्: Karma (Destination/गन्तव्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्डिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/गन्तव्य), एकवचन

• द्रष्टुम्: to see
• द्रष्टुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + तुमुन् (प्रत्यय)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive)

• विवाहम्: the wedding
• विवाहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• चेदिभूभृतः: of the Cedi king
• चेदिभूभृतः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेदि + भूभृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; ‘भूभृत्’ = राजा; ‘चेदिभूभृतः’ = of the king of Cedi

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa goes to Kuṇḍina with the Yādavas to redirect the wedding’s outcome and uphold dharma by rescuing Rukmiṇī from an adharma alliance.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Protection of righteous alliance and the defeat of coercive kingship

Dynasty & Genealogy

Vamsha: Chandra

Key Kings: Kṛṣṇa, Balabhadra, Yādavas, Śiśupāla

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Madhurya

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Balabhadra (Balarama)
• Cedi king (Cedi-bhūbhṛt)
• Kundina (Kuṇḍina)

FAQs

What is the significance of Krishna going to Kuṇḍina in the Vishnu Purana?

It situates Krishna within the political and dynastic events of his era, showing how the Lord participates in worldly ceremonies while subtly directing outcomes that protect dharma and His devotees.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of dynasties in Krishna’s līlā?

Through concise narrative markers like this verse, Parāśara ties Krishna’s actions to the Yādava lineage and to royal alliances, emphasizing that divine purpose unfolds through historical families and kingdoms.

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

The verse reflects a Vaishnava theme: the Supreme Reality is not distant from the world—He enters social and political life, guiding it from within while remaining sovereign and free.