Shloka 65

Diti’s Puṁsavana Vow, Indra’s Intervention, and the Birth of the Maruts

Devanagari script

न ममार दितेर्गर्भ: श्रीनिवासानुकम्पया । बहुधा कुलिशक्षुण्णो द्रौण्यस्त्रेण यथा भवान् ॥ ६५ ॥

Transliteration

na mamāra diter garbhaḥ śrīnivāsānukampayā bahudhā kuliśa-kṣuṇṇo drauṇy-astreṇa yathā bhavān

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī sprach: Mein lieber König Parīkṣit, du wurdest von Aśvatthāmās brahmāstra verbrannt, doch als der Herr Śrī Kṛṣṇa in den Schoß deiner Mutter eintrat, wurdest du gerettet. Ebenso wurde Ditis einziger Embryo durch Indras Donnerkeil in neunundvierzig Teile gespalten, und doch wurden alle durch die Barmherzigkeit Śrīnिवāsas, der Höchsten Persönlichkeit Gottes, bewahrt.

Synonyms

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• mamāra: died
• mamāra: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: mṛ (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथम-पुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• diteḥ: of Diti
• diteḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• garbhaḥ: embryo
• garbhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• śrīnivāsa-anukampayā: by the compassion of Śrīnivāsa (Viṣṇu)
• śrīnivāsa-anukampayā: Karaṇa (करण/instrument-cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrīnivāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + anukampā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘śrīnivāsasya anukampā’

• bahudhā: in many ways / repeatedly
• bahudhā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bahudhā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

• kuliśa-kṣuṇṇaḥ: crushed by the thunderbolt
• kuliśa-kṣuṇṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/of garbhaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kuliśa (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣuṇṇa (कृदन्त; √kṣud/√kṣuṇ? ‘to crush’)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); past passive participle (कर्मणि-भूतकृदन्त); तृतीया-तत्पुरुष-भाव: ‘kuliśena kṣuṇṇaḥ’ = ‘crushed by the thunderbolt’

• drauṇya-astreṇa: by the weapon of Drauṇi (Aśvatthāmā)
• drauṇya-astreṇa: Upamāna-sādhana (उपमान-साधन/instrument in simile)
• Type: Noun
• Root: drauṇi (प्रातिपदिक) + astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘drauṇeḥ astraṁ’

• yathā: as
• yathā: Upamāna (उपमान/marker of comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Comparative particle (उपमा-अव्यय)

• bhavān: you (honored one)
• bhavān: Upameya (उपमेय/one compared)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); honorific pronoun

Characters & Entities

• Diti
• Indra
• Śrīnivāsa
• Droṇa
• Aśvatthāmā
• King Parīkṣit

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about divine protection during danger?

This verse teaches that by the Lord’s compassion (Śrīnivāsa-anukampā), life can be preserved even when attacked repeatedly—just as Diti’s embryo survived Indra’s thunderbolt and Parīkṣit survived Aśvatthāmā’s brahmāstra.

Why did Śukadeva Gosvāmī compare Diti’s embryo to King Parīkṣit?

To help Parīkṣit understand the Lord’s consistent protecting grace: both the unborn child in Diti’s womb and Parīkṣit in the womb of Uttarā were saved from seemingly fatal celestial weapons by divine intervention.

How can I apply this teaching in modern life when facing repeated setbacks?

Remember the Lord’s shelter, continue sincere devotion and prayer, and persevere without losing faith—this verse emphasizes that protection and survival ultimately depend on divine mercy beyond visible circumstances.