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Shloka 14

The Slaying of Narakāsura (Bhaumāsura), Rescue of the Princesses, and the Pārijāta Episode Begins

तान् पीठमुख्याननयद् यमक्षयं निकृत्तशीर्षोरुभुजाङ्‍‍घ्रिवर्मण: । स्वानीकपानच्युतचक्रसायकै- स्तथा निरस्तान् नरको धरासुत: । निरीक्ष्य दुर्मर्षण आस्रवन्मदै- र्गजै: पयोधिप्रभवैर्निराक्रमात् ॥ १४ ॥

tān pīṭha-mukhyān anayad yama-kṣayaṁ nikṛtta-śīrṣoru-bhujāṅghri-varmaṇaḥ svānīka-pān acyuta-cakra-sāyakais tathā nirastān narako dharā-sutaḥ nirīkṣya durmarṣaṇa āsravan-madair gajaiḥ payodhi-prabhavair nirākramāt

The Lord severed the heads, thighs, arms, legs and armor of these opponents led by Pitha and sent them all to the abode of Yamaraja. Narakasura, the son of the earth, could not contain his fury when he saw the fate of his military leaders. Thus he went out of the citadel with elephants born from the Milk Ocean who were exuding mada from their foreheads out of excitement.

tānthem
tān:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)
pīṭha-mukhyānPīṭha and the leading ones
pīṭha-mukhyān:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootpīṭha-mukhya (प्रातिपदिक: pīṭha + mukhya)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); ‘मुख्य’ = chief; ‘पीठमुख्य’ = Pīṭha and the chiefs (as a group) / chief among them
anayatled
anayat:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootnī (धातु)
Formलङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथमा-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; ‘अ + नयत्’ = led
yama-kṣayamto Yama’s realm (death)
yama-kṣayam:
Gati/Karma (गति/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootyama-kṣaya (प्रातिपदिक: yama + kṣaya)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष (to Yama + destruction) = abode of Yama/death
nikṛtta-śīrṣa-uru-bhuja-aṅghri-varmaṇaḥof him whose heads, thighs, arms, feet, and armor were cut off
nikṛtta-śīrṣa-uru-bhuja-aṅghri-varmaṇaḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeAdjective
Rootnikṛtta + śīrṣa + uru + bhuja + aṅghri + varman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); बहुव्रीहि—‘यस्य ...’ (whose heads, thighs, arms, feet, armor were cut off); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘नि + कृद्/कृत्’ (cut)
sva-anīka-pānhis own army-leaders
sva-anīka-pān:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootsva-anīka-pa (प्रातिपदिक: sva + anīka + pa)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); ‘अनीकप’ = leader/protector of an army; तत्पुरुष (own-army leaders)
acyuta-cakra-sāyakaiḥby Acyuta’s disc and arrows
acyuta-cakra-sāyakaiḥ:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootacyuta-cakra-sāyaka (प्रातिपदिक: acyuta + cakra + sāyaka)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); ‘Acyuta’s disc-and-arrows’ = weapons of Acyuta; समाहार/तत्पुरुष
tathāthus/also
tathā:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottathā (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (adverb), प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (thus/also)
nirastānrepelled/defeated
nirastān:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootnirasta (प्रातिपदिक; नि + अस्/स्था? PPP)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘निर् + अस्/स्त’ = cast away/repelled
narakaḥNaraka (Bhauma)
narakaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootnaraka (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)
dharā-sutaḥthe son of Earth
dharā-sutaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootdharā-suta (प्रातिपदिक: dharā + suta)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (son of Earth)
nirīkṣyahaving seen
nirīkṣya:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootnir-īkṣ (धातु)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), ‘नि + ईक्ष्’ = having seen/observed
durmarṣaṇaḥhard to endure / intolerant
durmarṣaṇaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootdurmarṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of narakaḥ
āsravat-madaiḥwith (elephants) whose rut was flowing
āsravat-madaiḥ:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootāsravat + mada (प्रातिपदिक; āsravat = present participle of ā-sru)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); ‘मदैः’ with qualifier ‘आस्रवत्’ (flowing)
gajaiḥwith elephants
gajaiḥ:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootgaja (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)
payodhi-prabhavaiḥocean-born
payodhi-prabhavaiḥ:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootpayodhi-prabhava (प्रातिपदिक: payodhi + prabhava)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (born of the ocean)
nirākramāthe advanced/charged
nirākramāt:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootnir-ā-kram (धातु)
Formलङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथमा-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; ‘निर् + आ + क्रम्’ = advanced/attacked
N
Narakāsura (Naraka)
B
Bhūmi (Earth-goddess, Dharā)
Y
Yama
Ś
Śrī Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

This verse describes Narakāsura being overwhelmed as Kṛṣṇa’s forces strike down his foremost warriors with the Lord’s discus and arrows, showing the inevitable defeat of adharma under divine protection.

After seeing his leading fighters destroyed, Narakāsura—unable to tolerate defeat—launched a counterattack using powerful rutting elephants said to have arisen from the ocean.

When arrogance and cruelty face truth and righteousness, they eventually collapse; the verse encourages steadiness in dharma and faith that divine order ultimately prevails.