Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 14

Kūrma Supports Mandara; Hālahala Appears; Śiva Becomes Nīlakaṇṭha

Devanagari script

अहीन्द्रसाहस्रकठोरद‍ृङ्‌मुख- श्वासाग्निधूमाहतवर्चसोऽसुरा: । पौलोमकालेयबलील्वलादयो दवाग्निदग्धा: सरला इवाभवन् ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

ahīndra-sāhasra-kaṭhora-dṛṅ-mukha- śvāsāgni-dhūmāhata-varcaso ’surāḥ pauloma-kāleya-balīlvalādayo davāgni-dagdhāḥ saralā ivābhavan

Translation

Vāsuki had thousands of eyes and mouths, and from those mouths he breathed smoke and blazing fire that scorched the asuras—Pauloma, Kāleya, Bali, Ilvala, and the rest. Like sarala trees burned by a forest conflagration, they gradually became powerless.

Synonyms

• असुराः: the demons
• असुराः: कर्ता (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• अहीन्द्र-साहस्र-कठोर-दृक्-मुख-श्वास-अग्नि-धूम-आहत-वर्चसः: whose splendor was struck by the smoke of the fire of the breath from the thousand hard-glancing mouths of the serpent-king
• अहीन्द्र-साहस्र-कठोर-दृक्-मुख-श्वास-अग्नि-धूम-आहत-वर्चसः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अहीन्द्र + साहस्र + कठोर + दृक् + मुख + श्वास + अग्नि + धूम + आहत + वर्चस् (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—येषां वर्चः (तेजः) अहीन्द्रस्य सहस्रकठोरदृङ्मुखश्वासाग्निधूमेन आहतम्

• पौलोम-कालेय-बलील्वल-आदयः: Paulomas, Kāleyas, Bali, Ilvala and others
• पौलोम-कालेय-बलील्वल-आदयः: अपादान/निर्देश (Appositional/निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौलोम + कालेय + बलि + इल्वल + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (नामसमूहः) + ‘आदि’ (etc.)

• दव-अग्नि-दग्धाः: burnt by a forest-fire
• दव-अग्नि-दग्धाः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दव + अग्नि + दग्ध (कृदन्त; √दह् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त (past passive participle) ‘burnt’; समासः—दवाग्निना दग्धाः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

• सरलाः: pine trees
• सरलाः: उपमान (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• इव: like
• इव: उपमानसूचक (Simile marker/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (simile particle)

• अभवन्: became
• अभवन्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

Characters & Entities

• Ananta (Śeṣa)
• Pauloma
• Kāleya
• Bali
• Lvala

FAQs

Who is the thousand-headed serpent in Srimad Bhagavatam 8.7.14?

He is Ananta (Śeṣa), the serpent-king and divine servant of the Lord, whose powerful breath and smoke scorch the asuras.

Why were the Paulomas, Kāleyas, and others burned during the Samudra Manthana?

In the churning episode, the asuras are checked by superior divine power; here, Ananta’s fiery breath and smoke strike them, causing them to lose their radiance and strength.

What is the practical lesson of Bhagavatam 8.7.14 for modern life?

Pride and aggression ultimately collapse before higher truth and divine order; cultivating humility, dharma, and devotion protects one from self-destructive tendencies.