Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 28

Indra Slays Namuci—The Limits of Power and the Triumph of Divine Strategy

Devanagari script

स तेनैवाष्टधारेण शिरसी बलपाकयो: । ज्ञातीनां पश्यतां राजञ्जहार जनयन्भयम् ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

sa tenaivāṣṭa-dhāreṇa śirasī bala-pākayoḥ jñātīnāṁ paśyatāṁ rājañ jahāra janayan bhayam

Translation

O König Parīkṣit, König Indra benutzte seinen Donnerkeil, um die Köpfe von Bala und Pāka in Anwesenheit all ihrer Verwandten und Anhänger abzuschlagen. Auf diese Weise schuf er eine sehr furchterregende Atmosphäre auf dem Schlachtfeld.

Synonyms

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• tena: with that
• tena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Neuter/Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha/Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis

• aṣṭa-dhāreṇa: with the eight-edged (weapon)
• aṣṭa-dhāreṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + dhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Singular; द्विगु ‘aṣṭau dhārāḥ yasya/yenā’ used adjectivally; agrees with implied ‘vajreṇa’

• śirasī: the two heads
• śirasī: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Dual (द्विवचन)

• bala-pākayoḥ: of Bala and Pāka
• bala-pākayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक) + pāka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Dual; द्वन्द्व ‘balaś ca pākaś ca’ (two Asuras)

• jñātīnām: of the kinsmen
• jñātīnām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Plural

• paśyatām: while watching
• paśyatām: Kāla/Pariśeṣa (काल/परिस्थिति)
• Type: Verb
• Root: paśy (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Genitive (6th), Plural; ‘while (they) were watching’

• rājan: O king
• rājan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• jahāra: he carried off/struck off
• jahāra: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hṛ (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular; parasmaipada

• janayan: causing/producing
• janayan: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with saḥ

• bhayam: fear
• bhayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

Characters & Entities

• Bala
• Pāka

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 8 Chapter 11 say about the battle between devas and asuras?

This verse depicts a decisive moment where a powerful warrior uses an eight-streamed weapon to sever the heads of Bala and Pāka, causing fear among their allies—showing the turning tide in the deva-asura conflict.

Who is speaking this verse in the Bhagavatam and to whom?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī is narrating to King Parīkṣit, addressing him as “O King (rājan)” while describing the events of the battlefield.

What is a practical lesson from this shloka for modern life?

It highlights how sudden reversals can occur when strength is misused; aligning with dharma and disciplined action reduces fear and instability, while wrongdoing breeds insecurity even among one’s own supporters.