Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 30

Pūru-vaṁśa, Duṣmanta–Śakuntalā, and the Rise of Mahārāja Bharata

Devanagari script

किरातहूणान् यवनान् पौण्ड्रान् कङ्कान् खशाञ्छकान् । अब्रह्मण्यनृपांश्चाहन् म्‍लेच्छान् दिग्विजयेऽखिलान् ॥ ३० ॥

Transliteration

kirāta-hūṇān yavanān pauṇḍrān kaṅkān khaśāñ chakān abrahmaṇya-nṛpāṁś cāhan mlecchān dig-vijaye ’khilān

Translation

Auf seinem Eroberungszug besiegte oder tötete Mahārāja Bharata alle Kirātas, Hūṇas, Yavanas, Pauṇḍras, Kaṅkas, Khaśas, Śakas sowie die mleccha-Könige, die den vedischen Grundsätzen brahmanischer Kultur entgegenstanden.

Synonyms

• किरातहूणान्: Kirātas and Hūṇas
• किरातहूणान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किरात + हूण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (copulative); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• यवनान्: Yavanas (Greeks/foreigners)
• यवनान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पौण्ड्रान्: Pauṇḍras
• पौण्ड्रान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौण्ड्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कङ्कान्: Kaṅkas
• कङ्कान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• खशान्: Khaśas
• खशान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• शकान्: Śakas
• शकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अब्रह्मण्यनृपान्: kings hostile to brāhmaṇas/dharma
• अब्रह्मण्यनृपान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + ब्रह्मण्य + नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative): अब्रह्मण्याः नृपाः; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• अहन्: killed, slew
• अहन्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• म्लेच्छान्: barbarians, mlecchas
• म्लेच्छान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: म्लेच्छ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• दिग्विजये: in the conquest of the quarters (campaign)
• दिग्विजये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिक् + विजय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अखिलान्: all, entire
• अखिलान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (म्लेच्छान्/जनान्) विशेषण

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam 9.20.30 say about mleccha kings?

It states that during his digvijaya (conquest), the king slew mleccha rulers and other kings who were abrahmaṇya—opposed to brahminical principles—thereby protecting dharma.

Why does the Bhagavatam mention groups like Yavanas, Śakas, and Hūṇas?

The verse lists prominent non-Vedic or frontier peoples to show the extent of the king’s campaign and his role as a kṣatriya in restraining forces seen as hostile to Vedic order.

How can this verse be applied in modern life without violence?

As a principle, it teaches protecting dharma: resisting influences that degrade virtue, truthfulness, and spiritual culture—through education, self-discipline, and courageous integrity rather than harm.