Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 20

Aghāsura-vadha: The Killing and Deliverance of Aghāsura

Devanagari script

सत्यमर्ककरारक्तमुत्तराहनुवद् धनम् । अधराहनुवद्रोधस्तत्प्रतिच्छाययारुणम् ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

satyam arka-karāraktam uttarā-hanuvad ghanam adharā-hanuvad rodhas tat-praticchāyayāruṇam

Translation

Thereafter they decided: Dear friends, this is certainly an animal sitting here to swallow us all. Its upper lip resembles a cloud reddened by the sunshine, and its lower lip resembles the reddish shadows of a cloud.

Synonyms

• सत्यम्: truly
• सत्यम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण द्वितीया) ‘truly/indeed’

• अर्क-कर-रक्तम्: sun-ray red
• अर्क-कर-रक्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्क + कर + रक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; adjective (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भाव) meaning ‘red like the rays/hands of the sun’ qualifying implied subject (mouth/interior)

• उत्तर-हनु-वत्: like the upper jaw
• उत्तर-हनु-वत्: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत्तर + हनु + वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तद्धितान्त अव्यय ‘-वत्’ (like), used adverbially; ‘like the upper jaw’

• घनम्: dense
• घनम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; adjective ‘dense/thick’

• अधर-हनु-वत्: like the lower jaw
• अधर-हनु-वत्: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधर + हनु + वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तद्धितान्त अव्यय ‘-वत्’ (like), adverbial; ‘like the lower jaw’

• रोधः: a barrier/ridge
• रोधः: Karma/Viṣaya (विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; ‘obstruction/barrier’ (here: ridge/edge)

• तत्-प्रतिच्छायया: by its reflection
• तत्-प्रतिच्छायया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् + प्रतिच्छाया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; ‘by its reflection/shadow’

• अरुणम्: reddish
• अरुणम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; adjective ‘reddish’ qualifying implied subject

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna’s qualities in Canto 10?

This verse poetically links Kṛṣṇa’s inner virtues—truthfulness, generosity, and righteous anger—to the beauty and redness of His lips and hands, showing that His character and form are equally divine.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe Krishna’s virtues through poetic imagery?

In the Vraja-līlā narration, Śukadeva conveys that Kṛṣṇa’s beauty is not merely physical—His very radiance reflects His spotless qualities, helping devotees remember Him with affection and reverence.

Practical application of this shloka in modern life?

Cultivate truthfulness, generosity, and principled firmness (righteous anger against wrongdoing) as devotional virtues—qualities that make one’s character attractive and spiritually uplifting.