Shloka 4

Kṛṣṇa Slays Kuvalayāpīḍa and Enters Kaṁsa’s Wrestling Arena

Devanagari script

अम्बष्ठाम्बष्ठ मार्गं नौ देह्यपक्रम मा चिरम् । नो चेत् सकुञ्जरं त्वाद्य नयामि यमसादनम् ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

ambaṣṭhāmbaṣṭha mārgaṁ nau dehy apakrama mā ciram no cet sa-kuñjaraṁ tvādya nayāmi yama-sādanam

Translation

Lord Kṛṣṇa said: “O Ambastha, Ambastha! Move aside at once and give Us the way; do not delay. Otherwise, this very day I shall send you and your elephant to the abode of Yamarāja.”

Synonyms

• अम्बष्ठ: O ambaṣṭha (driver/mahout)
• अम्बष्ठ: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; vocative masculine singular

• अम्बष्ठ: O ambaṣṭha
• अम्बष्ठ: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; vocative masculine singular (repetition for emphasis)

• मार्गम्: path, way
• मार्गम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; accusative masculine singular

• नौ: to us / for us (the two of us)
• नौ: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विवचन-रूपम्; षष्ठी/चतुर्थी द्विवचन (genitive/dative dual) ‘of us/to us’; pronoun dual

• देहि: give (grant)
• देहि: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative/आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अपक्रम: move away, step aside
• अपक्रम: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप-क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative/आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मा: do not
• मा: निषेध (Prohibition/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (prohibitive particle)

• चिरम्: for long, long time
• चिरम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-नपुंसक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• नः: of us
• नः: सम्बन्ध (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन; enclitic pronoun

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: सम्बन्ध (Condition/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• सकुञ्जरम्: with the elephant / along with the elephant
• सकुञ्जरम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + कुञ्जर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; ‘सः कुञ्जरः’ इति कर्मधारय; accusative masculine singular

• त्वा: you
• त्वा: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन; pronoun

• अद्य: today, now
• अद्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• नयामि: I will take/lead
• नयामि: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present/वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यमसादनम्: Yama’s abode (realm of death)
• यमसादनम्: गन्तव्य (Destination/गन्तव्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम + सादन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘यमस्य सादनम्’); accusative neuter singular

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Kuvalayāpīḍa (the elephant)
• Yama

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna removing obstacles on the path of dharma?

In this verse Kṛṣṇa commands the obstructing elephant-keeper to clear the way immediately, showing that the Lord decisively removes impediments placed against righteousness and His divine mission.

Why did Krishna speak so strongly to the elephant-keeper in Canto 10 Chapter 43?

Kaṁsa had arranged the fierce elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa to block and kill Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma at the arena gate; Kṛṣṇa’s stern words are a direct challenge to that murderous obstruction.

Practical application of Krishna’s fearlessness in modern life?

When facing intimidation or unfair barriers, act with clarity and courage—stand for dharma, avoid needless delay, and trust that sincere action aligned with truth gains divine strength.