Shloka 61

Chandravamsa and Yadu Lineage: From Soma to the Vrishnis, Krishna’s Family, and the Transition to Puru

Devanagari script

संकर्षणः सप्तमो ऽभूदष्टमः कृष्ण एव च / षोडशस्त्रीसहस्राणि भार्याणाञ्चाभवन्हरेः

Transliteration

saṃkarṣaṇaḥ saptamo 'bhūdaṣṭamaḥ kṛṣṇa eva ca / ṣoḍaśastrīsahasrāṇi bhāryāṇāñcābhavanhareḥ

Translation

సంకర్షణుడు ఏడవ (అవతార) అయ్యాడు, ఎనిమిదవడు స్వయంగా కృష్ణుడే. హరికి పదహారు వేల స్త్రీలు భార్యలుగా ఉన్నారు.

Word by Word

• संकर्षणः: Saṃkarṣaṇa
• संकर्षणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकर्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सप्तमः: the seventh
• सप्तमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (ordinal)

• अभूत्: was/became
• अभूत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अष्टमः: the eighth
• अष्टमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (ordinal)

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• षोडश: sixteen
• षोडश: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन—समासे पूर्वपद (sixteen)

• स्त्रीसहस्राणि: thousands of women
• स्त्रीसहस्राणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘स्त्रीणां सहस्राणि’ (thousands of women)

• भार्याणाम्: of wives
• भार्याणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• अभवन्: were/there were
• अभवन्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• हरेः: of Hari (Kṛṣṇa)
• हरेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra in the Garuda Purana dialogue frame)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Recognizing Saṅkarṣaṇa and Kṛṣṇa as divine manifestations; Hari’s aiśvarya is beyond ordinary measure.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara’s avatāra-līlā: the One appears as many without diminution; māyā as divine power, not limitation.

Application: Contemplate avatāra-tattva; transform fascination with worldly grandeur into devotion and remembrance of Hari.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Geographic Context

Type: sacred city/royal capital

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.139.62-63 (queens and progeny)

Characters & Entities

• Saṅkarṣaṇa (Balarāma)
• Kṛṣṇa
• Hari (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the importance of Saṅkarṣaṇa and Kṛṣṇa being listed as the seventh and eighth in the Garuda Purana?

It situates Saṅkarṣaṇa (Balarāma) and Kṛṣṇa within an ordered avatāra list, helping readers map Purāṇic incarnation traditions and their theological sequence.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul or afterlife teachings in the Garuda Purana?

This particular verse is not about the soul’s journey or death rites; it is a devotional-historical enumeration of Hari’s manifestations, which supports dharma through remembrance of Viṣṇu’s līlā and avatāras.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use the avatāra list for daily remembrance (smaraṇa) and study: reflecting on Kṛṣṇa and Saṅkarṣaṇa’s roles can strengthen bhakti and ethical living aligned with dharma.