Shloka 17

Śālva Attacks Dvārakā; Pradyumna Leads the Defense

Saubha-vimāna and Māyā-yuddha

Devanagari script

ताश्च सौभपतेर्माया दिव्यास्‍त्रै रुक्‍मिणीसुत: । क्षणेन नाशयामास नैशं तम इवोष्णगु: ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

tāś ca saubha-pater māyā divyāstrai rukmiṇī-sutaḥ kṣaṇena nāśayām āsa naiśaṁ tama ivoṣṇa-guḥ

Translation

Pradyumna, the son of Rukmiṇī, with his divine weapons instantly destroyed all of Śālva’s magical illusions, just as the sun’s warm rays dispel the darkness of night.

Synonyms

• tāḥ: those (them)
• tāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative/कर्म), बहुवचन (plural)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• saubha-pateḥ: of the lord of Saubha (Śālva)
• saubha-pateḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saubha + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (saubhasya patiḥ = lord of Saubha)

• māyāḥ: illusory creations, magical tricks
• māyāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative/कर्म), बहुवचन (plural)

• divyaiḥ: divine
• divyaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (agreeing with astrāiḥ), तृतीया-विभक्ति (instrumental), बहुवचन (plural); विशेषणम्

• astraiḥ: with weapons (missiles)
• astraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (instrumental/करण), बहुवचन (plural)

• rukmiṇī-sutaḥ: the son of Rukmiṇī (Pradyumna)
• rukmiṇī-sutaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rukmiṇī + suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (rukmiṇyāḥ sutaḥ = son of Rukmiṇī)

• kṣaṇena: in a moment
• kṣaṇena: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (instrumental; time-measure), एकवचन (singular)

• nāśayāmāsa: destroyed
• nāśayāmāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √naś (धातु) + causative (णिच्)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative): nāśayati = causes to perish/destroys

• naiśam: nightly, of the night
• naiśam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: naiśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative), एकवचन (singular); विशेषणम् (qualifying tamaḥ)

• tamaḥ: darkness
• tamaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (singular)

• iva: like, as if
• iva: Upamāna (उपमान-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), उपमा-वाचक (comparative particle)

• uṣṇa-guḥ: the sun
• uṣṇa-guḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uṣṇa + gu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (nominative), एकवचन (singular); कर्मधारयः (uṣṇaḥ guḥ = the hot-rayed one, i.e., the sun)

Characters & Entities

• Śālva
• Pradyumna
• Rukmiṇī

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about overcoming maya (illusion) in Canto 10?

This verse shows that Śālva’s deceptive māyā is instantly nullified by divine astras wielded by Pradyumna, illustrating that spiritual/divine power dispels illusion like sunlight removes darkness.

Who destroys Śālva’s illusions in the Saubha battle?

Pradyumna, the son of Rukmiṇī, destroys the māyā created by Śālva, the ruler of Saubha, using celestial weapons.

Practical application of the teaching about maya in modern life?

Illusion thrives in ‘darkness’—confusion and distraction; steady spiritual discipline and divine remembrance act like sunlight, quickly clearing misleading perceptions.