Shloka 27

The Deliverance of Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva

Yamala-Arjuna Līlā Prelude and Culmination

Devanagari script

बालेन निष्कर्षयतान्वगुलूखलं तद् दामोदरेण तरसोत्कलिताङ्‍‍घ्रिबन्धौ । निष्पेततु: परमविक्रमितातिवेप- स्कन्धप्रवालविटपौ कृतचण्डशब्दौ ॥ २७ ॥

Transliteration

bālena niṣkarṣayatānvag ulūkhalaṁ tad dāmodareṇa tarasotkalitāṅghri-bandhau niṣpetatuḥ parama-vikramitātivepa- skandha-pravāla-viṭapau kṛta-caṇḍa-śabdau

Translation

Dragging with great force the wooden mortar bound to His belly, the boy Dāmodara uprooted the two trees; by the Supreme Person’s mighty power they trembled with trunk, leaves, and branches, and crashed to the ground.

Synonyms

• बालेन: by the child
• बालेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निष्कर्षयता: while dragging
• निष्कर्षयता: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्+कृष् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; ‘(by him) who was dragging’

• अन्वक्: along/behind
• अन्वक्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्वक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘behind/along’

• उलूखलम्: the mortar
• उलूखलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उलूखल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निर्देश

• दामोदरेण: by Damodara (Krishna)
• दामोदरेण: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दामोदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (दाम उदरे यस्य)

• तरसा: with force
• तरसा: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक

• उत्कलित-अङ्घ्रि-बन्धौ: whose foot-bindings were loosened
• उत्कलित-अङ्घ्रि-बन्धौ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्+कल् (धातु) + अङ्घ्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + बन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; समासः (उत्कलिताः अङ्घ्रि-बन्धाः यस्य) — ‘whose foot-bonds were loosened/jerked up’

• निष्पेततुः: they fell down
• निष्पेततुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निस्+पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, द्विवचन; परस्मैपद

• परम-विक्रमित-अतिवेप-स्कन्ध-प्रवाल-विटपौ: the two (trees) with violently shaken, greatly trembling trunks and branchlets
• परम-विक्रमित-अतिवेप-स्कन्ध-प्रवाल-विटपौ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + विक्रमित (कृदन्त; √क्रम्) + अतिवेप (प्रातिपदिक) + स्कन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रवाल (प्रातिपदिक) + विटप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘(those two trees) having trunks and branches trembling greatly due to violent shaking’ (बहुपद-समास)

• कृत-चण्ड-शब्दौ: making a terrible sound
• कृत-चण्ड-शब्दौ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृदन्त; √कृ) + चण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; समासः ‘चण्डः शब्दः कृतः याभ्याम्’ (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्राय)

Purport

This is the pastime of Kṛṣṇa known as dāmodara-līlā. Therefore another of Kṛṣṇa’s names is Dāmodara. As stated in the Hari-vaṁśa:

Characters & Entities

• Dāmodara (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
• Nalākūvara
• Maṇigrīva

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna uprooting the twin Arjuna trees?

This verse describes how child Dāmodara, while dragging the mortar, powerfully jerks the rope at His ankles, causing the two arjuna trees to tremble and crash down with a great sound—setting the stage for the liberation of the two beings within them.

Why is Krishna called Dāmodara in this pastime?

He is called Dāmodara because He was bound with a rope (dāma) around His belly/waist (udara) by Mother Yaśodā, yet He still performs astonishing feats—showing that the Supreme becomes bound by His devotee’s love.

Practical application of the Damodara pastime in modern life?

The shloka highlights that sincere devotion and loving discipline can transform the heart: even when one feels “bound” by circumstances, steady spiritual practice can uproot deep-rooted obstacles and bring inner freedom.