Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 39

Bhagīratha Brings Gaṅgā; Saudāsa’s Curse; Khaṭvāṅga’s Instant Renunciation

Devanagari script

सा वै सप्त समा गर्भमबिभ्रन्न व्यजायत । जघ्नेऽश्मनोदरं तस्या: सोऽश्मकस्तेन कथ्यते ॥ ३९ ॥

Transliteration

sā vai sapta samā garbham abibhran na vyajāyata jaghne ’śmanodaraṁ tasyāḥ so ’śmakas tena kathyate

Translation

حملت مادايانتي الطفل في رحمها لمدة سبع سنوات ولم تلد. لذلك ضرب فاشيستا بطنها بحجر، ثم ولد الطفل. ونتيجة لذلك، عُرف الطفل باسم أشماكا.

Synonyms

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्तन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective), अव्ययवत् प्रयोग; ‘समा’ इति पदस्य विशेषण

• समाः: years
• समाः: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; ‘वर्षाः’ अर्थे (years)

• गर्भम्: the embryo
• गर्भम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अबिभ्रत्: bearing
• अबिभ्रत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भृ (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त (present active participle), परस्मैपदी; प्रथमा एकवचन स्त्रीलिङ्ग (agreeing with ‘सा’)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• व्यजायत: gave birth
• व्यजायत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; वि-उपसर्ग

• जघ्ने: he struck/broke
• जघ्ने: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अश्मनः: of a stone
• अश्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘उदरम्’ इति समासपूर्वपद-सम्बन्धः

• उदरम्: the belly
• उदरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अश्मकः: Aśmaka
• अश्मकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• तेन: therefore/by that
• तेन: Hetu/Instrument (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• कथ्यते: is called
• कथ्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

Characters & Entities

• Aśmaka

FAQs

Who is Aśmaka in the Srimad Bhagavatam?

Aśmaka is a king in the Ikṣvāku dynasty; this verse explains his birth and why he received the name Aśmaka.

Why is the child called Aśmaka in Bhagavata Purana 9.9.39?

Because he struck the stone (aśman) in his mother’s abdomen at birth; the name Aśmaka is linked to that event.

What practical lesson can devotees take from this Bhagavatam verse about lineage history?

It shows how the Bhagavatam preserves sacred history with meaningful name-origins, encouraging students to study dharmic lineages with attention and reverence.