Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 30

Paraśurāma, Kārtavīryārjuna, and the Kāmadhenu Offense

with Lunar-line Genealogy to Gādhi and Jamadagni

Devanagari script

अचोदयद्धस्तिरथाश्वपत्तिभि- र्गदासिबाणर्ष्टिशतघ्निशक्तिभि: । अक्षौहिणी: सप्तदशातिभीषणा- स्ता राम एको भगवानसूदयत् ॥ ३० ॥

Transliteration

acodayad dhasti-rathāśva-pattibhir gadāsi-bāṇarṣṭi-śataghni-śaktibhiḥ akṣauhiṇīḥ sapta-daśātibhīṣaṇās tā rāma eko bhagavān asūdayat

Translation

Als Kārtavīryārjuna Paraśurāma erblickte, überkam ihn sogleich Furcht, und er sandte Elefanten, Streitwagen, Pferde und Fußsoldaten, bewaffnet mit Keulen, Schwertern, Pfeilen, ṛṣṭis, śataghnīs, śaktis und ähnlichen Waffen—siebzehn vollständige akṣauhiṇīs furchterregender Truppen. Doch der Herr Paraśurāma allein erschlug sie alle.

Synonyms

• अचोदयत्: drove/impelled
• अचोदयत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अ√चुद्/चुद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense ‘set in motion/impelled’

• हस्तिरथाश्वपत्तिभिः: with elephants, chariots, horses, and infantry
• हस्तिरथाश्वपत्तिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्ति + रथ + अश्व + पत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (elephants, chariots, horses, foot-soldiers)

• गदासिबाणर्ष्टिशतघ्निशक्तिभिः: with maces, swords, arrows, spears, śataghni weapons, and spears
• गदासिबाणर्ष्टिशतघ्निशक्तिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा + असि + बाण + ऋष्टि + शतघ्नी + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री/पुं मिश्र; तृतीया, बहुवचन; समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (maces, swords, arrows, spears, clubs, lances)

• अक्षौहिणीः: armies (akṣauhiṇīs)
• अक्षौहिणीः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षौहिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• सप्तदश: seventeen
• सप्तदश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त + दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; ‘सप्तदश’ = seventeen; विशेषण (qualifying ‘armies’)

• अतिभीषणाः: very dreadful
• अतिभीषणाः: Visheshana (विशेषण; of ‘those armies’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + भीषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘अति’ उपसर्गवत्/अव्ययीभाव-समास; विशेषण (very terrible)

• ताः: those
• ताः: Karma (कर्म; object of ‘killed’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एकः: alone
• एकः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• भगवान्: the Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• असूदयत्: slew
• असूदयत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अ√सूद्/सूद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative/intensive sense ‘caused to be slain’

Purport

The word akṣauhiṇī refers to a military phalanx consisting of 21,870 chariots and elephants, 109,350 infantry soldiers and 65,610 horses. An exact description is given in the Mahābhārata, Ādi parva, Second Chapter, as follows:

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Paraśurāma)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Parashurama’s power in Canto 9?

This verse states that Rāma (Paraśurāma), being Bhagavān, single-handedly destroyed seventeen fearsome akṣauhiṇīs, showing divine supremacy beyond ordinary martial strength.

Why is Parashurama described as ‘Bhagavān’ in Bhagavatam 9.15.30?

Because Paraśurāma is an avatāra of the Lord; the verse emphasizes that the victory was not merely human heroism but the Lord’s divine intervention to reestablish dharma.

Practical application: what does this shloka teach a devotee today?

It teaches reliance on the Supreme in overwhelming situations: when dharma is threatened and challenges seem innumerable, the Lord’s power is unlimited, and sincere alignment with dharma brings protection.