Shloka 33

The Slaying of Narakāsura (Bhaumāsura), Rescue of the Princesses, and the Pārijāta Episode Begins

Devanagari script

तत्र राजन्यकन्यानां षट्‍सहस्राधिकायुतम् । भौमाहृतानां विक्रम्य राजभ्यो दद‍ृशे हरि: ॥ ३३ ॥

Transliteration

tatra rājanya-kanyānāṁ ṣaṭ-sahasrādhikāyutam bhaumāhṛtānāṁ vikramya rājabhyo dadṛśe hariḥ

Translation

అక్కడ హరి పదహారు వేల రాజకుమార్తెలను చూచెను; భౌముడు వివిధ రాజుల నుండి బలవంతంగా అపహరించినవారు వారు।

Synonyms

तत्रthere

राजन्य-कन्यानाम्of the royal maidens

षट्-सहस्र-अधिक-अयुतम्six thousand plus ten thousand (i.e., 16,000)

भौम-आहृतानाम्abducted by Bhauma

विक्रम्यhaving overcome, having crossed

राजभ्यःfrom the kings

ददृशेappeared, was seen

हरिःHari (Krishna)

Purport

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī provides evidence from the sage Parāśara, as quoted in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa (5.29.31), to the effect that there were actually 16,100 royal maidens imprisoned in Bhauma’s palace:

Characters & Entities

Hari (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)

Bhauma (Narakāsura/Bhaumāsura)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna rescuing the sixteen thousand princesses?

In this verse (10.59.33), Śukadeva explains that Kṛṣṇa saw over sixteen thousand royal maidens who had been forcibly abducted by Narakāsura from various kings.

Why were the princesses in Narakasura’s captivity in Bhagavatam 10.59?

They had been taken by force—Bhauma (Narakāsura) seized them through conquest, removing them from their royal families and keeping them imprisoned.

Practical application: what lesson does Krishna’s rescue of the princesses teach today?

It highlights protecting the vulnerable and restoring dignity to those harmed—standing against exploitation and supporting justice as an expression of dharma.