Shloka 10

Yoga-māyā Appears as Durgā; Kaṁsa’s Repentance and the Demonic Policy of Persecuting Vaiṣṇavas

Devanagari script

दिव्यस्रगम्बरालेपरत्नाभरणभूषिता । धनु:शूलेषुचर्मासिशङ्खचक्रगदाधरा ॥ १० ॥ सिद्धचारणगन्धर्वैरप्सर:किन्नरोरगै: । उपाहृतोरुबलिभि: स्तूयमानेदमब्रवीत् ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

divya-srag-ambarālepa- ratnābharaṇa-bhūṣitā dhanuḥ-śūleṣu-carmāsi- śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-dharā

Translation

The goddess Durgā was decorated with flower garlands, smeared with sandalwood pulp and dressed with excellent garments and ornaments made of valuable jewels. Holding in her hands a bow, a trident, arrows, a shield, a sword, a conchshell, a disc and a club, and being praised by celestial beings like Apsarās, Kinnaras, Uragas, Siddhas, Cāraṇas and Gandharvas, who worshiped her with all kinds of presentations, she spoke as follows.

Synonyms

• दिव्य: divine
• दिव्य: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासाङ्ग) विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक; ‘divine’

• स्रक्: garland
• स्रक्: Upapada (उपपद/compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्रज्/स्रक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; (समासाङ्ग) ‘garland’

• अम्बर: garment
• अम्बर: Upapada (उपपद/compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; (समासाङ्ग) ‘garment/cloth’

• आलेप: ointment
• आलेप: Upapada (उपपद/compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आलेप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; (समासाङ्ग) ‘ointment/un-guent’

• रत्न: jewel
• रत्न: Upapada (उपपद/compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; (समासाङ्ग) ‘jewel’

• आभरण: ornament
• आभरण: Upapada (उपपद/compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आभरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; (समासाङ्ग) ‘ornament’

• भूषिता: adorned
• भूषिता: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate; describing देवी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भूष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘adorned’

• दिव्य-स्रक्-अम्बर-आलेप-रत्न-आभरण-भूषिता: adorned with divine garlands, garments, unguents, and jeweled ornaments
• दिव्य-स्रक्-अम्बर-आलेप-रत्न-आभरण-भूषिता: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य + स्रक् + अम्बर + आलेप + रत्न + आभरण + भूषिता (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (समाहार/निर्देश); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘adorned with divine garlands, garments, unguents, jewel-ornaments’

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Upapada (उपपद/compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; (समासाङ्ग) ‘bow’

• शूलेषु: spears/tridents
• शूलेषु: Upapada (उपपद/compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; (समासाङ्ग)

• चर्म: shield
• चर्म: Upapada (उपपद/compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; (समासाङ्ग) ‘shield/leather’

• असि: sword
• असि: Upapada (उपपद/compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; (समासाङ्ग) ‘sword’

• शङ्ख: conch
• शङ्ख: Upapada (उपपद/compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; (समासाङ्ग) ‘conch’

• चक्र: discus
• चक्र: Upapada (उपपद/compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; (समासाङ्ग) ‘discus’

• गदा: mace
• गदा: Upapada (उपपद/compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; (समासाङ्ग) ‘mace’

• धरा: bearing/holding
• धरा: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √धृ (धातु)
• Form: ण्वुल्-प्रत्ययान्त (agent noun) ‘धरा’ = धारयित्री; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘bearing/holding’

• धनुः-शूल-इषु-चर्म-असि-शङ्ख-चक्र-गदा-धरा: holding bow, spear, arrows, shield, sword, conch, discus, and mace
• धनुः-शूल-इषु-चर्म-असि-शङ्ख-चक्र-गदा-धरा: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धनुस् + शूल + इषु + चर्मन् + असि + शङ्ख + चक्र + गदा + धरा (कृदन्त)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘she who holds bow, spear, arrows, shield, sword, conch, discus, and mace’

Characters & Entities

• Yogamāyā (Devakī’s daughter)
• Kṛṣṇa (implied by śaṅkha-cakra-gadā)
• Kaṁsa (context)

FAQs

Who is described as holding the conch, disc, and mace in Bhagavatam 10.4.10?

The verse describes Yogamāyā (the infant girl who appeared before Kaṁsa), manifesting a divine form bearing weapons and the emblems associated with the Lord’s protection.

Why does Yogamaya appear with weapons in Canto 10 Chapter 4?

To reveal her divine identity and supremacy, and to warn Kaṁsa that the power protecting Kṛṣṇa is beyond his control, stopping him from killing her.

Practical application: what does this verse teach about fear and protection?

It teaches that divine protection operates beyond visible circumstances; cultivating bhakti and trust steadies the mind even when threats appear overwhelming.