Shloka 14

Kṛṣṇa Slays Kuvalayāpīḍa and Enters Kaṁsa’s Wrestling Arena

Devanagari script

पतितस्य पदाक्रम्य मृगेन्द्र इव लीलया । दन्तमुत्पाट्य तेनेभं हस्तिपांश्चाहनद्धरि: ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

patitasya padākramya mṛgendra iva līlayā dantam utpāṭya tenebhaṁ hastipāṁś cāhanad dhariḥ

Translation

Then Lord Hari, with the effortless grace of a mighty lion, climbed upon the elephant, tore out a tusk, and with it slew the beast and its keepers.

Synonyms

• patitasya: of the fallen one
• patitasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patita (कृदन्त; √पत् धातु)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine); भूतकृत्/क्त (past passive participle) used substantively

• pada-ākramya: having stepped on (with the foot)
• pada-ākramya: Kriya (क्रिया/absolutive—prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक) + ā-kramya (कृदन्त; √क्रम् धातु, उपसर्ग आ-)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal); कर्मसापेक्ष

• mṛga-indraḥ: the lion (king of beasts)
• mṛga-indraḥ: Upamāna (उपमान/comparator)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: ‘king of beasts’); प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/marker of simile)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-निपात (comparative particle)

• līlayā: playfully, as a sport
• līlayā: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: līlā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• dantam: the tusk
• dantam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: danta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• utpāṭya: having torn out
• utpāṭya: Kriya (क्रिया/absolutive—prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ut-pāṭya (कृदन्त; √पट्/√पाट् धातु ‘to tear out’, उपसर्ग उत्-)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वक्रिया

• tena: with that
• tena: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसक (pronoun form)

• ibham: the elephant
• ibham: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ibha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• hasti-pān: the elephant-keepers
• hasti-pān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hasti (प्रातिपदिक) + pā (प्रातिपदिक ‘protector/keeper’)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘keeper of elephants’); द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural), पुल्लिङ्ग; रूपम्: पान् (pān)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ahanat: struck down
• ahanat: Kriya (क्रिया/finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; धातु: हन् ‘to strike/kill’

• hariḥ: Hari (Krishna)
• hariḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
• Kuvalayāpīḍa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna killing the Kuvalayapida elephant?

This verse describes Kṛṣṇa stepping on the fallen elephant like a lion and tearing out its tusk to finish the threat and defeat the elephant-keepers—showing His effortless victory over adharma.

Why did Krishna attack the elephant-keepers after defeating the elephant?

The mahouts were part of Kaṁsa’s plot to harm Kṛṣṇa; after neutralizing the elephant, Kṛṣṇa also removed its handlers to end the orchestrated violence at the gate of the arena.

What is the practical application of Krishna’s 'līlā' in modern life?

The verse teaches steadiness and fearlessness: when guided by dharma and devotion, one can face powerful obstacles without panic, trusting the Lord’s protection and purpose.