Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 8

Kṛṣṇa Leads Kālayavana to Mucukunda; The Yavana Is Burned; Mucukunda’s Prayers and Boon of Bhakti

Devanagari script

पलायनं यदुकुले जातस्य तव नोचितम् । इति क्षिपन्ननुगतो नैनं प्रापाहताशुभ: ॥ ८ ॥

Transliteration

palāyanaṁ yadu-kule jātasya tava nocitam iti kṣipann anugato nainaṁ prāpāhatāśubhaḥ

Translation

As he chased the Lord, the Yavana hurled insults: “You were born in the Yadu dynasty—running away is not proper for You!” Yet he still could not reach Him, for the reactions to his sins had not been cleansed.

Synonyms

• पलायनम्: running away, flight
• पलायनम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of ‘not proper’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पलायन (प्रातिपदिक; √पलाय् + युच्/अन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; वाक्ये कर्तृवाच्ये ‘पलायनं ... नोचितम्’ (subject-like)

• यदु-कुले: in the Yadu dynasty
• यदु-कुले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यदु (प्रातिपदिक) + कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (यदूनां कुले)

• जातस्य: of (one) born
• जातस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जात (प्रातिपदिक; √जन् क्त)
• Form: क्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; विशेषण (तव)

• तव: of you
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• उचितम्: proper, fitting
• उचितम्: Vidhana (विधान/Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उचित (प्रातिपदिक; √वच्? ‘उचित’ = ‘proper’, PPP of √वच्/√उच् in usage)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्ति-अव्यय (quotative)

• क्षिपन्: taunting
• क्षिपन्: Karta (कर्ता/Agent-participle, referring to Yavana)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘taunting/abusing’

• अनुगतः: followed
• अनुगतः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + गम् (धातु; क्त)
• Form: क्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘followed’

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्राप: reached, caught
• प्राप: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अहत-अशुभः: whose ill fortune was not yet struck (still unpunished)
• अहत-अशुभः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अहत (प्रातिपदिक; √हन् क्त ‘unstruck/unharmed’) + अशुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (अहतम् अशुभं यस्य) विशेषण (अनुगतः/यवनः implied)

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Kālayavana

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna ‘running away’ from battle?

This verse shows that Kālayavana mocked Kṛṣṇa for retreating, but Kṛṣṇa’s movement is a divine strategy within His līlā, not ordinary fear; the pursuer could not capture Him.

Why did Kālayavana say this to Krishna in Canto 10 Chapter 51?

Kālayavana tried to shame Kṛṣṇa by invoking Yadu-kula honor and kṣatriya ideals, taunting Him while chasing Him, but his impious mentality led to failure.

Practical application of the concept of ‘ahata-śubha’ (destroyed piety) in modern life?

When arrogance and mockery drive our actions, we lose inner clarity and good fortune; cultivating humility and devotion protects one’s “śubha” and leads to wiser outcomes.