Vishnu Purana — Amsha 5 - Krishna Avatara, Shloka 19

श्रीकृष्ण-जन्म, वसुदेव-यमुनातरण, बालिका-उत्क्षेपः, देवी-प्रादुर्भावः

Devanagari script

कंसस्य करम् आदाय तत्रैवाभ्यागतांस् तटे नन्दादीन् गोपवृद्धांश् च यमुनायां ददर्श सः

Transliteration

kaṃsasya karam ādāya tatraivābhyāgatāṃs taṭe nandādīn gopavṛddhāṃś ca yamunāyāṃ dadarśa saḥ

Translation

Sambil memegang tangan Kaṁsa, ia melihat di tebing sana Nanda dan para gembala tua lainnya yang telah tiba, berkumpul di pinggir Yamunā.

Word by Word

• कंसस्य: of Kaṃsa
• कंसस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); एकवचन

• करम्: hand
• करम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/Adverbial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund); आ-उपसर्गपूर्वक

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• अभ्यागतान्: arrived
• अभ्यागतान्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि + आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); बहुवचन; ‘नन्दादीन्…’ इति विशेषणम्

• तटे: on the bank
• तटे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative); एकवचन

• नन्दादीन्: Nanda and others
• नन्दादीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); बहुवचन; ‘नन्दः आदिः येषां ते’ (आदि-समास/तत्पुरुषप्रायः)

• गोपवृद्धान्: elder cowherds
• गोपवृद्धान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप (प्रातिपदिक) + वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (वृद्धाः गोपाः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• यमुनायाम्: at/in the Yamunā
• यमुनायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यमुना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative); एकवचन

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

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

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The meeting at the Yamunā bank with Nanda and the elder cowherds

Teaching: Historical

Quality: narrative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To transition from Mathurā to Vraja and place the divine child among the cowherds, setting the stage for Kaṃsa’s eventual downfall.

Leela: Loka-rakshana

Dharma Restored: Protection of the Vraja community and establishment of the Lord’s pastoral līlā as a refuge for devotees

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Kaṁsa
• Nanda
• Gopas (elder cowherds)
• Yamunā

FAQs

What is the significance of the Yamunā riverbank in this Vishnu Purana verse?

It functions as a sacred meeting-point where the pastoral community (Nanda and the elder gopas) becomes directly connected to the unfolding confrontation with Kaṁsa, linking holy geography with divine action.

How does Sage Parāśara frame this moment in the dialogue with Maitreya?

Parāśara narrates it as a transitional scene: the narrative shifts from Kaṁsa’s sphere of power to the presence of Nanda and the cowherd elders, emphasizing how Krishna’s divine purpose reaches both court and countryside.

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

The verse highlights divine sovereignty in a humanly readable way—Krishna’s mastery over Kaṁsa and his simultaneous regard for devotees like Nanda—supporting the Purana’s vision of the Supreme preserving cosmic order through embodied līlā.