Shloka 9

Devanagari script

पलायमानौ तौ द‍ृष्ट्वा मागध: प्रहसन्बली । अन्वधावद् रथानीकैरीशयोरप्रमाणवित् ॥ ९ ॥

Transliteration

palāyamānau tau dṛṣṭvā māgadhaḥ prahasan balī anvadhāvad rathānīkair īśayor apramāṇa-vit

Translation

Seeing Them apparently flee, the powerful Jarāsandha of Magadha laughed loudly and pursued with charioteers and foot soldiers, not understanding the exalted position of the two Lords.

Synonyms

• पलायमानौ: fleeing (the two)
• पलायमानौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पलाय् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), द्विवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/पूर्वकालिक क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) from √दृश्; ‘having seen’

• मागधः: the Magadhan (Jarāsandha)
• मागधः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मागध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रहसन्: laughing
• प्रहसन्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हस् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle, शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘laughing’

• बली: mighty
• बली: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् of मागधः

• अन्वधावत्: he chased
• अन्वधावत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-धाव् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• रथ-अनीकैः: with chariot troops
• रथ-अनीकैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक) + अनीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘with chariot-divisions/armies’

• ईशयोः: of the two Lords
• ईशयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), द्विवचन

• अ-प्रमाण-वित्: not knowing the limit
• अ-प्रमाण-वित्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (धातु, ‘to know’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीह्यर्थे प्रयोगः: ‘one who does not know the measure/limit’; विशेषणम् of मागधः

Characters & Entities

• Jarāsandha
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Śrī Balarāma

FAQs

Why did Krishna and Balarama appear to flee from Jarasandha in Srimad Bhagavatam?

This verse shows Jarāsandha mistook Their retreat as weakness; in the Bhagavatam, such apparent flight is part of the Lord’s līlā and strategy, revealing how the proud cannot measure the Supreme.

Who is the 'Magadha' mentioned in Bhagavatam 10.52.9?

“Māgadḥa” refers to Jarāsandha, the king of Magadha, who pursued Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma with chariot forces.

Practical application: what does 'apramāṇavit' teach in modern life?

It warns against judging spiritual strength by external appearances; humility and discernment are needed because the Lord’s ways—and the devotee’s path—can be beyond material estimation.