śrī-śuka uvāca
atha kṛṣṇaś ca rāmaś ca
kṛta-śaucau parantapa
malla-dundubhi-nirghoṣaḿ
śrutvā draṣṭum upeyatuḥ
sri-sukah uvaca -- Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; atha -- next; krishnah -- Krishna; ca -- and; ramah -- Balarama; ca -- also; krita -- having carried out; saucau -- purification; param-tapa -- 0 chastiser of enemies; malla -- of the wrestling match; dundubhi -- of the kettledrums; nirghosham -- the resounding vibration; srutva -- hearing; drashtum -- to see; upeyatah -- They approached.
Sukadeva Gosvami said: O chastiser of enemies, Krishna and Balarama, having executed all necessary purification, then heard the kettledrums resounding at the wrestling arena, and They went there to see what was happening.
Srila Sridhara Svami explains the words krita-saucau, "having executed all necessary purification," as follows: "Two days previously, Krishna and Balarama 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. Kamsa 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."
