Shloka 8

The Killing of Keśī and Vyomāsura; Nārada’s Prophetic Praise of Kṛṣṇa

Devanagari script

तद्देहत: कर्कटिकाफलोपमाद् व्यसोरपाकृष्य भुजं महाभुज: । अविस्मितोऽयत्नहतारिक: सुरै: प्रसूनवर्षैर्वर्षद्‌भिरीडित: ॥ ८ ॥

Transliteration

tad-dehataḥ karkaṭikā-phalopamād vyasor apākṛṣya bhujaṁ mahā-bhujaḥ avismito ’yatna-hatārikaḥ suraiḥ prasūna-varṣair varṣadbhir īḍitaḥ

Translation

The mighty-armed Kṛṣṇa withdrew His arm from Keśī’s body, which now appeared like a long karkaṭikā fruit. Without the least display of pride at having so effortlessly killed His enemy, the Lord accepted the demigods’ worship in the form of flowers rained down from above.

Synonyms

• तत्-देहतः: from his body
• तत्-देहतः: अपादान (Apādāna/Ablative-source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तस्य देहः); पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/ablative) एकवचन (देहतः = देहात्)

• कर्कटिका-फल-उपमात्: from (something) like a karkaṭikā fruit
• कर्कटिका-फल-उपमात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Comparison-source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्कटिका (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक) + उपमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (कर्कटिकायाः फलम् इव उपमा/उपमानम्); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (उपमा), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• व्यसोः: of the dead one
• व्यसोः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि-अस् (धातु) → व्यसु (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/genitive), एकवचन; ‘व्यसु’ = मृत (dead)

• अपाकृष्य: having pulled away
• अपाकृष्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Pūrvakāla-kriyā/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप-आ-कृष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘having pulled away’

• भुजम्: arm
• भुजम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महा-भुजः: the mighty-armed one (Krishna)
• महा-भुजः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (महान् भुजः यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अविस्मितः: unastonished
• अविस्मितः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविस्मित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-समास/निषेध (not astonished)

• अयत्न-हत-अरिकः: whose enemies were slain effortlessly
• अयत्न-हत-अरिकः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अयत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + हत (कृदन्त) + अरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (अयत्नेन हताः अरयः यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुरैः: by the gods
• सुरैः: करण (Karaṇa/Agent-instrument; by the gods)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• प्रसून-वर्षैः: with showers of flowers
• प्रसून-वर्षैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसून (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (प्रसूनानां वर्षः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वर्षद्भिः: showering
• वर्षद्भिः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument; accompanying action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृष् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; ‘वर्षद्भिः’ = ‘showering’

• ईडितः: praised
• ईडितः: कर्म (Karma; patient of praising)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईड् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Arishtasura
• Devas (demigods)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna effortlessly defeating demons?

This verse describes how Kṛṣṇa, without surprise or strain, withdraws His arm after killing the demon, showing the Lord’s effortless supremacy and protective power in His Vraja-līlā.

Why do the demigods shower flowers on Krishna in Canto 10?

The demigods praise Kṛṣṇa and rain flowers as a sign of divine approval and celebration when He removes a great burden from the earth by killing a powerful demon.

Practical application of Krishna’s ‘avismitah’ (unastonished) mood in modern life?

It inspires steadiness: do your duty without ego or drama, and face challenges with calm confidence, remembering that true strength is grounded in inner composure and devotion.