Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 20

Dhruva’s War with the Yakṣas and the Protection of the Holy Name

Devanagari script

हतावशिष्टा इतरे रणाजिराद् रक्षोगणा: क्षत्रियवर्यसायकै: । प्रायो विवृक्णावयवा विदुद्रुवु- र्मृगेन्द्रविक्रीडितयूथपा इव ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

hatāvaśiṣṭā itare raṇājirād rakṣo-gaṇāḥ kṣatriya-varya-sāyakaiḥ prāyo vivṛkṇāvayavā vidudruvur mṛgendra-vikrīḍita-yūthapā iva

Translation

যিসকল যক্ষ কোনোমতে বাচি গৈছিল, মহান যোদ্ধা ধ্ৰুৱ মহাৰাজৰ শৰত তেওঁলোকৰ অংগ-প্ৰত্যংগ কটা গৈছিল। সিংহৰ দ্বাৰা পৰাজিত হাতীৰ দৰে তেওঁলোকে ৰণক্ষেত্ৰৰ পৰা পলাবলৈ ধৰিলে।

Synonyms

• hata-avaśiṣṭāḥ: slain and remaining (survivors)
• hata-avaśiṣṭāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of rakṣo-gaṇāḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hata (कृदन्त, √han) + avaśiṣṭa (कृदन्त, √śiṣ/√śeṣ)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana; karmadhāraya-samāsa; past passive participles used adjectivally

• itare: the others
• itare: Karta (कर्ता) (coreferential with rakṣo-gaṇāḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: itara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana; pronominal adjective used substantively

• raṇa-ajirāt: from the battlefield
• raṇa-ajirāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ajira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Pañcamī (5th/अपादान), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa (raṇasya ajiram)

• rakṣaḥ-gaṇāḥ: troops of demons
• rakṣaḥ-gaṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣas (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa (rakṣasāṁ gaṇāḥ)

• kṣatriya-varya-sāyakaiḥ: by the arrows of the best of kṣatriyas
• kṣatriya-varya-sāyakaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣatriya (प्रातिपदिक) + varya (प्रातिपदिक) + sāyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd/करण), Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa chain: kṣatriyāṇāṁ varyasya sāyakāḥ

• prāyaḥ: mostly
• prāyaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prāyaḥ (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: Avyaya; adverbial particle meaning ‘for the most part/mostly’

• vivṛkṇa-avayavāḥ: with limbs cut off
• vivṛkṇa-avayavāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of rakṣaḥ-gaṇāḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vivṛkṇa (कृदन्त, √vraśc) + avayava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana; karmadhāraya; vivṛkṇa = past passive participle ‘cut off’

• vidudruvuḥ: they fled
• vidudruvuḥ: Kriyā (मुख्य क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dru (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (Imperfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Bahuvacana; parasmaipada

• mṛga-indra-vikrīḍita-yūthapāḥ: like herd-leaders toyed with by a lion
• mṛga-indra-vikrīḍita-yūthapāḥ: Upamāna (उपमान) in simile
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक) + vikrīḍita (कृदन्त, √krīḍ) + yūthapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa chain: mṛgendrasya vikrīḍitāḥ yūthapāḥ (leaders of herds played with by the lion)

• iva: like/as
• iva: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमाद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; upamā-vācaka nipāta (simile particle)

Characters & Entities

• Dhruva Mahārāja
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the defeat of demoniac forces in battle?

This verse describes how the rākṣasa troops, struck by the arrows of a righteous kṣatriya, were broken and forced to flee—showing that adharma cannot stand before determined, dharmic protection.

Why are the rākṣasas compared to herd-leaders chased by a lion in this shloka?

The comparison highlights their helpless panic and scattering: just as even strong herd-leaders run when a lion attacks, the surviving rākṣasas fled when faced with Dhruva’s overpowering prowess.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Stand firmly for what is right: when one acts with discipline, duty, and moral clarity, fear and destructive tendencies lose their hold—both within oneself and in one’s surroundings.