Shloka 15

The Slaying of Śālva and the Destruction of Saubha

Devanagari script

शाल्व: शौरेस्तु दो: सव्यं सशार्ङ्गं शार्ङ्गधन्वन: । बिभेद न्यपतद्धस्ताच्छार्ङ्गमासीत्तदद्भ‍ुतम् ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

śālvaḥ śaures tu doḥ savyaṁ sa-śārṅgaṁ śārṅga-dhanvanaḥ bibheda nyapatad dhastāc chārṅgam āsīt tad adbhutam

Translation

Śālva then managed to strike Lord Kṛṣṇa’s left arm, which held His bow Śārṅga, and, amazingly, Śārṅga fell from His hand.

Synonyms

• शाल्वः: Śālva
• शाल्वः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• शौरेः: of Śauri (Krishna)
• शौरेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• दोह्: arm
• दोह्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोह्/दोस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (वेदिक/काव्य-प्रयोगे), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘भुजम्’

• सव्यम्: left
• सव्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (दोह्)

• स-शार्ङ्गम्: together with the Śārṅga (bow)
• स-शार्ङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय-प्राय) + शार्ङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष (सहित-भाव: शार्ङ्गेण सह); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (दोह्)

• शार्ङ्ग-धन्वनः: of the wielder of the Śārṅga bow
• शार्ङ्ग-धन्वनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शार्ङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + धन्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शार्ङ्गं धनुः यस्य/शार्ङ्ग-धन्वा); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• बिभेद: split, broke
• बिभेद: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• न्यपतत्: fell down
• न्यपतत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + √पत् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• हस्तात्: from (his) hand
• हस्तात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

• शार्ङ्गम्: the Śārṅga (bow)
• शार्ङ्गम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शार्ङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम-रूप

• अद्भुतम्: wonderful, astonishing
• अद्भुतम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तत्)

Characters & Entities

• Śālva
• Śauri (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
• Śārṅga (bow)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna’s Śārṅga bow in the battle with Śālva?

This verse describes Śālva striking Kṛṣṇa’s left arm so that the Śārṅga bow falls from His hand, creating an astonishing moment within Kṛṣṇa’s battle pastime.

Why is Krishna called Śauri and Śārṅga-dhanvā in this verse?

He is called Śauri as a name of Kṛṣṇa, and Śārṅga-dhanvā because He is famed as the wielder of the Śārṅga bow; the verse highlights His identity even amid intense combat.

Practical application of this shloka in modern life?

Even when devotion faces sudden setbacks, one should remember the Lord’s supreme control and remain steady, seeing reversals as moments to deepen faith rather than lose heart.