Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 33

Balarāma Humbles the Kurus and Rescues Sāmba

Devanagari script

अहो यदून् सुसंरब्धान् कृष्णं च कुपितं शनै: । सान्‍त्‍वयित्वाहमेतेषां शममिच्छन्निहागत: ॥ ३२ ॥ त इमे मन्दमतय: कलहाभिरता: खला: । तं मामवज्ञाय मुहुर्दुर्भाषान् मानिनोऽब्रुवन् ॥ ३३ ॥

Transliteration

aho yadūn su-saṁrabdhān kṛṣṇaṁ ca kupitaṁ śanaiḥ sāntvayitvāham eteṣāṁ śamam icchann ihāgataḥ

Translation

“Ah, only gradually was I able to calm the furious Yadus and Lord Kṛṣṇa, who was also enraged. Desiring peace for these Kauravas, I came here. But they are so dull-headed, fond of quarrel and mischievous by nature that they have repeatedly disrespected Me. Out of conceit they dared to address Me with harsh words!

Synonyms

• अहो: alas!/oh!
• अहो: Sambodhana/Exclamation (उद्गार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aho (अव्यय)
• Form: Exclamation/particle (उद्गार-अव्यय)

• यदून्: the Yadus
• यदून्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yadu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• सु-संरब्धान्: very enraged
• सु-संरब्धान्: Viśeṣaṇa of Karma (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su- + saṁrabdha (कृदन्त; √rabh/रभ् with सम्, past participle)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; past passive participle used adjectivally; intensifier prefix सु- (very)

• कृष्णम्: Krishna
• कृष्णम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• कुपितम्: angry
• कुपितम्: Viśeṣaṇa of Karma (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kupita (कृदन्त; √kup/कुप्, past participle)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; past participle used adjectivally

• शनैः: gently/gradually
• शनैः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śanaiḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

• सान्त्वयित्वा: having pacified
• सान्त्वयित्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sāntvay (धातु √sāntvay/सान्त्वय्) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), expressing prior action

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aham (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun, 1st person; Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• एतेषाम्: of these (people)
• एतेषाम्: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun; Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• शमम्: peace/appeasement
• शमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• इच्छन्: wishing
• इच्छन्: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (धातु √iṣ/इष्) present participle (शतृ)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agrees with अहम्

• इह: here
• इह: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय)

• आगतः: have come
• आगतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-gam (धातु √gam/गम् with आ) past participle (क्त)
• Form: Past active participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; used as finite sense with अहम्

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun; Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (masculine)

• इमे: these
• इमे: Apposition to Karta (कर्ता-समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun; Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (masculine)

• मन्द-मतयः: dull-witted
• मन्द-मतयः: Viśeṣaṇa of Karta (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: manda (प्रातिपदिक) + mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; compound meaning 'having dull intellect'

• कलह-अभिरताः: fond of quarrel
• कलह-अभिरताः: Viśeṣaṇa of Karta (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kalaha (प्रातिपदिक) + abhirata (कृदन्त; √ram/रम् with अभि, past participle used adjectivally)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; locative/obj-relation in compound: 'delighting in quarrel'

• खलाः: wicked men
• खलाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun; Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (masculine)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun; Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• अवज्ञाय: having disrespected
• अवज्ञाय: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-jñā (धातु √jñā/ज्ञा with अव) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त)

• मुहुः: again and again
• मुहुः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: muhuḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• दुर्भाषान्: insulting words
• दुर्भाषान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dur- + bhāṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; 'bad speeches/insults'

• मानिनः: proud
• मानिनः: Viśeṣaṇa of Karta (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mānin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• अब्रुवन्: they spoke
• अब्रुवन्: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु √brū/ब्रू)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

Characters & Entities

• Uddhava
• Krishna
• Yadus

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about resolving conflict through conciliation?

This verse shows Uddhava coming with the intention of śama (peace), aiming to pacify the enraged parties gradually through sāntvana (conciliation) rather than escalation.

Why did Uddhava come when the Yadus and Krishna were angry?

Uddhava came specifically to prevent further conflict—seeing both the Yadus and Kṛṣṇa provoked, he sought to calm them and restore harmony.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

When tempers rise on all sides, step in with a peace-focused intention, speak gently, and de-escalate gradually instead of reacting impulsively.