Shloka 4

भाण्डीरवट-क्रीडा: प्रलम्बासुरवधः, मानुष्यलीला, एक-कारण-तत्त्वम्

Devanagari script

निर्योगपाशस्कन्धौ तौ वनमालाविभूषितौ शुशुभाते महात्मानौ बालशृङ्गाव् इवर्षभौ

Transliteration

niryogapāśaskandhau tau vanamālāvibhūṣitau śuśubhāte mahātmānau bālaśṛṅgāv ivarṣabhau

Translation

Bearing the yoke-ropes upon their shoulders and adorned with garlands of forest flowers, those two great-souled ones shone resplendently like two young bulls with newly budding horns.

Word by Word

• निर्योगपाशस्कन्धौ: (the two) having shoulders bound with straps/ropes (yoke-less harness)
• निर्योगपाशस्कन्धौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्योग + पाश + स्कन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (निर्योगपाशयोः स्कन्धौ इति)

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• वनमालाविभूषितौ: adorned with forest-garlands
• वनमालाविभूषितौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वनमाला + विभूषित (कृदन्त; √भूष्/भूषय्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त) ‘विभूषित’ = adorned; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वनमालया विभूषितौ)

• शुशुभाते: shone, looked splendid
• शुशुभाते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शुभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन; आत्मनेपद

• महात्मानौ: the two great-souled ones
• महात्मानौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन

• बालशृङ्गौ: (like) young-horned (bulls)
• बालशृङ्गौ: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल + शृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (बालानि शृङ्गाणि यस्य)

• इव: like, as
• इव: Sambandha/Upamana-marker (Comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• ऋषभौ: two bulls
• ऋषभौ: Upameya (Object compared/उपमेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Kṛṣṇa’s childhood and sportive deeds (Vraja-līlā)

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: affectionate, vivid, celebratory

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa descends to lighten the earth’s burden and protect dharma through his humanlike līlā in Vraja and beyond.

Leela: Bala

Dharma Restored: Loka-rakṣaṇa through sustaining dharma while remaining accessible as a cowherd child.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Balarama

FAQs

What is the significance of Krishna and Balarama carrying yoke-ropes in the Vishnu Purana?

It highlights divine līlā: the Supreme appears in simple, human-like duties, making transcendence approachable while still radiating unmistakable splendor.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Lord’s majesty in ordinary pastoral imagery?

By describing external simplicity (ropes, garlands, village life) alongside extraordinary radiance, Parāśara shows that divinity is not diminished by worldly forms—rather, it sanctifies them.

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

The verse presents the avatāra as both immanent and supreme: Krishna’s accessible form supports bhakti while implying the same ultimate sovereignty attributed to Vishnu throughout the Purana.