Devanagari
श्रीशुक उवाच
अथ कृष्णश्च रामश्च कृतशौचौ परन्तप । मल्लदुन्दुभिनिर्घोषं श्रुत्वा द्रष्टुमुपेयतु: ॥ १ ॥
Verse text
śrī-śuka uvāca
atha kṛṣṇaś ca rāmaś ca
kṛta-śaucau parantapa
malla-dundubhi-nirghoṣaṁ
śrutvā draṣṭum upeyatuḥ
Synonyms
śrī
—
śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said
;
atha
—
next
;
kṛṣṇaḥ
—
Kṛṣṇa
;
ca
—
and
;
rāmaḥ
—
Balarāma
;
ca
—
also
;
kṛta
—
having carried out
;
śaucau
—
purification
;
param
—
tapa — O chastiser of enemies
;
malla
—
of the wrestling match
;
dundubhi
—
of the kettledrums
;
nirghoṣam
—
the resounding vibration
;
śrutvā
—
hearing
;
draṣṭum
—
to see
;
upeyataḥ
—
They approached .
Translation
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O chastiser of enemies, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, having executed all necessary purification, then heard the kettledrums resounding at the wrestling arena, and They went there to see what was happening.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O chastiser of enemies, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, having executed all necessary purification, then heard the kettledrums resounding at the wrestling arena, and They went there to see what was happening.
KB 10.43.1
After taking Their baths and finishing all other morning duties, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma could hear the beating of the kettledrums in the wrestling arena. They immediately prepared Themselves to proceed to the spot to see the fun.
Purport
Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī explains the words
kṛta-śaucau,
“having executed all necessary purification,” as follows: “Two days previously, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma had executed Their purification, Their relief from offense [by performing heroic deeds]. The Lords reasoned: ‘Even after We have made Our power known by breaking the bow and by performing other feats, Our parents have still not secured freedom. Kaṁsa is again trying to kill them. Therefore, although he is Our maternal uncle, it will not be wrong for Us to kill him.’ They assured Their offenselessness by this reasoning.”
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
The forty third chapter describes the killing of the best of elephants, Krsna’s entrance into the arena and his discussion with Canura.
Atha (then) signifies that Krsna and Balarama in the early morning, without telling their father and elders, went to the bank of the Yamuna with their friends, and after washing their face and hands, said to their friends, "O friends! You can hear the drums announce the wrestling match. Let us now leave here and go to the arena." Saying that they quickly went to the arena to see the match.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
He went with a pretext of desiring to see what was happening. In order to fool the elephant trainer he put on a wrestler’s costume with lower and upper pieces. Otherwise it would be useless to say later that he bound up his waist cloth. He then approached the arena. O destroyer of enemies! You are a person to oppose such evil men! Kṛta-śauca can mean that the two boys were without offense for killing the guardians of the bow. Or it can mean that like ordinary men, they underwent purification for the killing, leaving the elder cowherds to take bath in the river.
Purport (Sanatana Goswami)
Atha indicates auspiciousness. The two boys would kill the demons. Or after Nanda had been called, it was not proper to go to the demons with his dear devotees. Or since they had gone, he should go there quickly. He attracted the hearts of his devotees with his desire to kill the demons (kṛṣṇaḥ). Balarāma gave enjoyment to his friends (rāmaḥ). Though Kṛṣṇa is mentioned first because he was the main person in all cases, because Balarāma was eager to kill demons, the repetition of the word ca indicates they were equally prominent. Because he went with his younger brother out of affection, and followed his will he is given equal status. Hearing the loud noise from the drums and wrestlers they went to see the match. They went without wrestlers’ dress, very gently, to fool the elephant trainer and others. O destroyer of enemies (parantapa)! This was proper for killing the enemies. You have a similar nature.