Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 14

Paraśurāma, Kārtavīryārjuna, and the Kāmadhenu Offense

with Lunar-line Genealogy to Gādhi and Jamadagni

Devanagari script

यमाहुर्वासुदेवांशं हैहयानां कुलान्तकम् । त्रि:सप्तकृत्वो य इमां चक्रे नि:क्षत्रियां महीम् ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

yam āhur vāsudevāṁśaṁ haihayānāṁ kulāntakam triḥ-sapta-kṛtvo ya imāṁ cakre niḥkṣatriyāṁ mahīm

Translation

يُقِرّ العلماء بأنّ هذا الباراشوراما هو التجسّد المشهور، جزءٌ من فاسوديفا، وقاطعُ دابر سلالة هايهايا. لقد جعل الأرضَ بلا كشتريين إحدى وعشرين مرّة، إذ أفناهم مرارًا وتكرارًا.

Synonyms

• यम्: whom
• यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-यत् (relative pronoun)

• आहुः: they say/call
• आहुः: Kriya (क्रिया/finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• वासुदेव-अंशम्: a portion of Vāsudeva
• वासुदेव-अंशम्: Karma (कर्म/Object complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: वासुदेवस्य अंशः

• हैहयानाम्: of the Haihayas
• हैहयानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हैहय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• कुल-अन्तकम्: destroyer of the clan
• कुल-अन्तकम्: Karma (कर्म/Object complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: कुलस्य अन्तकः (destroyer of the lineage)

• त्रिः-सप्त-कृत्वः: twenty-one times
• त्रिः-सप्त-कृत्वः: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb of action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रिः (अव्यय) + सप्तन् (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत्वस्/कृत्वः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial): ‘three times seven times’ (= 21 times)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-यत् (relative pronoun)

• इमाम्: this
• इमाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• चक्रे: made
• चक्रे: Kriya (क्रिया/finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• निः-क्षत्रियाम्: devoid of kṣatriyas
• निः-क्षत्रियाम्: Karma-anvaya (कर्मविशेषण/object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; नञ्/निः-पूर्वक-विशेषण: ‘without kṣatriyas’

• महीम्: the earth
• महीम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva
• Paraśurāma
• Haihaya (dynasty)

FAQs

Who is described as a partial expansion of Vāsudeva in Srimad Bhagavatam 9.15.14?

This verse refers to Paraśurāma as an aṁśa (partial expansion) of Vāsudeva, who destroyed the Haihaya dynasty and repeatedly punished corrupt kṣatriya rulers.

Why did Paraśurāma make the earth 'niḥkṣatriyā' (without kṣatriyas) twenty-one times?

The verse highlights Paraśurāma’s role in curbing tyrannical and irreligious warrior rulers; by defeating them again and again, he re-established righteous order when kṣatriya power was abused.

What is the practical lesson of Bhagavatam 9.15.14 for modern life?

Power must be guided by dharma; when leadership becomes oppressive, divine law and moral accountability ultimately correct it, reminding us to govern ourselves and society with integrity.