Shloka 36

Hari’s Special Mercy, Śiva’s Quick Boons, and the Deliverance from Vṛkāsura

Devanagari script

अथापतद् भिन्नशिरा: वज्राहत इव क्षणात् । जयशब्दो नम:शब्द: साधुशब्दोऽभवद् दिवि ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

athāpatad bhinna-śirāḥ vajrāhata iva kṣaṇāt jaya-śabdo namaḥ-śabdaḥ sādhu-śabdo ’bhavad divi

Translation

Instantly his head shattered as if struck by a lightning bolt, and the demon fell down dead. From the sky were heard cries of “Victory!” “Obeisances!” and “Well done!”

Synonyms

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Discourse particle (अनन्तरार्थक/मङ्गलादि निपात)

• apatat: fell
• apatat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pat (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd Person, Singular

• bhinna-śirāḥ: one whose head was split
• bhinna-śirāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhinna (कृदन्त) + śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; बहुव्रीहि: ‘bhinnaṁ śiraḥ yasya saḥ’

• vajra-āhataḥ: as if struck by a thunderbolt
• vajra-āhataḥ: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vajra (प्रातिपदिक) + āhata (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; तृतीया-तत्पुरुष: ‘vajreṇa āhataḥ’

• iva: like/as if
• iva: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमाद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Comparative particle (उपमावाचक)

• kṣaṇāt: in a moment
• kṣaṇāt: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablatival adverb (पञ्चमी-अर्थे), ‘in an instant’

• jaya-śabdaḥ: the cry of ‘jaya!’
• jaya-śabdaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaya (प्रातिपदिक) + śabda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘jayasya śabdaḥ’

• namaḥ-śabdaḥ: the cry of ‘namaḥ!’
• namaḥ-śabdaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: namaḥ (अव्यय/निपात) + śabda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; ‘namaḥ’ used as fixed indeclinable in compound

• sādhu-śabdaḥ: the cry of ‘sādhu!’
• sādhu-śabdaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sādhu (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + śabda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• abhavat: arose/occurred
• abhavat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd Person, Singular

• divi: in heaven/in the sky
• divi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: div (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th), Singular

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam mean by the cries of “jaya”, “namaḥ”, and “sādhu” in heaven?

It indicates celestial approval—beings in higher realms celebrate the Lord’s triumph, offer reverence, and praise the righteous outcome of the event.

Who is speaking this verse in Bhagavatam 10.88.36?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī narrates this verse to Mahārāja Parīkṣit as part of the Canto 10 narration.

Practical application: what can a devotee learn from this shloka today?

That divine order ultimately prevails—when arrogance and harm are checked, sincere souls should respond with gratitude, humility (namaḥ), and appreciation of dharma (sādhu).