Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 8

The Killing of Ariṣṭāsura and Kaṁsa’s Plot to Summon Kṛṣṇa

Devanagari script

इत्यास्फोत्याच्युतोऽरिष्टं तलशब्देन कोपयन् । सख्युरंसे भुजाभोगं प्रसार्यावस्थितो हरि: ॥ ८ ॥

Transliteration

ity āsphotyācyuto ’riṣṭaṁ tala-śabdena kopayan sakhyur aṁse bhujābhogaṁ prasāryāvasthito hariḥ

Translation

Thus speaking, the infallible Lord Hari slapped His arms with His palms, and the thunderous sound further enraged Ariṣṭa. Then, resting His mighty arm on a friend’s shoulder, He stood calmly facing the demon.

Synonyms

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यादि-उक्त्यर्थे (quotative particle)

• आस्फोट्य: having clapped/snapped (his hands)
• आस्फोट्य: Purvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + √स्फुट्/स्फोट् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया; उपसर्ग आ-

• अच्युतः: Achyuta (Krishna)
• अच्युतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• अरिष्टम्: Ariṣṭa (the demon/bull)
• अरिष्टम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• तलशब्देन: with the sound of (hand-)clapping
• तलशब्देन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तल + शब्द (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषार्थे (determinative): तलस्य शब्दः

• कोपयन्: provoking (him), making (him) angry
• कोपयन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कुप् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ-प्रत्यय), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; causative sense: ‘making angry’

• सख्युः: of (his) friend
• सख्युः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• अंसे: on the shoulder
• अंसे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• भुजाभोगम्: the coil/curve of (his) arm
• भुजाभोगम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुजा + भोग (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: भुजायाः भोगः (arm’s coil/curve)

• प्रसार्य: having stretched out
• प्रसार्य: Purvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + √सृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• अवस्थितः: stood/was stationed
• अवस्थितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अवस्थित (कृदन्त; अव + √स्था धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle) used predicatively; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हरिः: Hari (Krishna)
• हरिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Purport

Lord Kṛṣṇa showed His contempt for the ignorant demon.

Characters & Entities

• Acyuta (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
• Ariṣṭāsura
• Hari

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna clapping His hands (tala-śabda) in the Arishtasura pastime?

In this verse, Kṛṣṇa claps His hands to create a sharp palm-sound that provokes Ariṣṭāsura, signaling the Lord’s fearless readiness to confront and destroy demonic aggression in Vraja.

Why did Krishna deliberately enrage Arishtasura in Canto 10 Chapter 36?

Kṛṣṇa provoked Ariṣṭāsura to draw him into direct combat, protecting Vraja and demonstrating that the Lord controls the encounter—bringing the demon to destruction while safeguarding His devotees.

Practical application: what can devotees learn from Krishna standing calmly before danger?

The verse highlights composed courage: devotees can face fear and hostility with steadiness, remembering Kṛṣṇa’s protection and responding without panic, grounded in faith and duty.