Shloka 20

Dhruva’s War with the Yakṣas and the Protection of the Holy Name

Devanagari script

हतावशिष्टा इतरे रणाजिराद् रक्षोगणा: क्षत्रियवर्यसायकै: । प्रायो विवृक्णावयवा विदुद्रुवु- र्मृगेन्द्रविक्रीडितयूथपा इव ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

hatāvaśiṣṭā itare raṇājirād rakṣo-gaṇāḥ kṣatriya-varya-sāyakaiḥ prāyo vivṛkṇāvayavā vidudruvur mṛgendra-vikrīḍita-yūthapā iva

Translation

The remaining Yakṣas who somehow or other were not killed had their limbs cut to pieces by the arrows of the great warrior Dhruva Mahārāja. Thus they began to flee, just as elephants flee when defeated by a lion.

Synonyms

• hata-avaśiṣṭāḥ: slain and remaining (survivors)
• hata-avaśiṣṭāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of rakṣo-gaṇāḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hata (कृदन्त, √han) + avaśiṣṭa (कृदन्त, √śiṣ/√śeṣ)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana; karmadhāraya-samāsa; past passive participles used adjectivally

• itare: the others
• itare: Karta (कर्ता) (coreferential with rakṣo-gaṇāḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: itara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana; pronominal adjective used substantively

• raṇa-ajirāt: from the battlefield
• raṇa-ajirāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ajira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Pañcamī (5th/अपादान), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa (raṇasya ajiram)

• rakṣaḥ-gaṇāḥ: troops of demons
• rakṣaḥ-gaṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣas (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa (rakṣasāṁ gaṇāḥ)

• kṣatriya-varya-sāyakaiḥ: by the arrows of the best of kṣatriyas
• kṣatriya-varya-sāyakaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣatriya (प्रातिपदिक) + varya (प्रातिपदिक) + sāyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd/करण), Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa chain: kṣatriyāṇāṁ varyasya sāyakāḥ

• prāyaḥ: mostly
• prāyaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prāyaḥ (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: Avyaya; adverbial particle meaning ‘for the most part/mostly’

• vivṛkṇa-avayavāḥ: with limbs cut off
• vivṛkṇa-avayavāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of rakṣaḥ-gaṇāḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vivṛkṇa (कृदन्त, √vraśc) + avayava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana; karmadhāraya; vivṛkṇa = past passive participle ‘cut off’

• vidudruvuḥ: they fled
• vidudruvuḥ: Kriyā (मुख्य क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dru (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (Imperfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Bahuvacana; parasmaipada

• mṛga-indra-vikrīḍita-yūthapāḥ: like herd-leaders toyed with by a lion
• mṛga-indra-vikrīḍita-yūthapāḥ: Upamāna (उपमान) in simile
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक) + vikrīḍita (कृदन्त, √krīḍ) + yūthapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa chain: mṛgendrasya vikrīḍitāḥ yūthapāḥ (leaders of herds played with by the lion)

• iva: like/as
• iva: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमाद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; upamā-vācaka nipāta (simile particle)

Characters & Entities

• Dhruva Mahārāja
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the defeat of demoniac forces in battle?

This verse describes how the rākṣasa troops, struck by the arrows of a righteous kṣatriya, were broken and forced to flee—showing that adharma cannot stand before determined, dharmic protection.

Why are the rākṣasas compared to herd-leaders chased by a lion in this shloka?

The comparison highlights their helpless panic and scattering: just as even strong herd-leaders run when a lion attacks, the surviving rākṣasas fled when faced with Dhruva’s overpowering prowess.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Stand firmly for what is right: when one acts with discipline, duty, and moral clarity, fear and destructive tendencies lose their hold—both within oneself and in one’s surroundings.