Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 19

Kali-yuga’s Degradation, the Advent of Kalki, and the Reset of the Yuga Cycle

Devanagari script

अश्वमाशुगमारुह्य देवदत्तं जगत्पति: । असिनासाधुदमनमष्टैश्वर्यगुणान्वित: ॥ १९ ॥ विचरन्नाशुना क्षौण्यां हयेनाप्रतिमद्युति: । नृपलिङ्गच्छदो दस्यून्कोटिशो निहनिष्यति ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

aśvam āśu-gam āruhya devadattaṁ jagat-patiḥ asināsādhu-damanam aṣṭaiśvarya-guṇānvitaḥ

Translation

Lord Kalki, the Lord of the universe, will mount His swift horse Devadatta and, sword in hand, race across the earth, revealing His eight mystic opulences and divine qualities. Shining with unequaled splendor, He will slay by the millions those thieves who dared to masquerade as kings.

Synonyms

• aśvam: horse
• aśvam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• āśu-gam: swift-going
• āśu-gam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āśu (प्रातिपदिक) + gam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; कर्मधारय-समासः (आशुः गमनं यस्य/आशुगः) qualifying aśvam

• āruhya: having mounted
• āruhya: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Converb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-ruh (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having mounted’

• devadattam: Devadatta (name)
• devadattam: Karma (कर्म; apposition to aśvam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devadatta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; proper name of the horse

• jagat-patiḥ: Lord of the world
• jagat-patiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; तत्पुरुष-समासः (जगतः पतिः)

• asinā: with a sword
• asinā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• sādhu-damanam: (that which is) the subduer of the wicked (lit. subduing of ‘sādhus’—contextually ‘asādhus’)
• sādhu-damanam: Karma (कर्म; implied object/means)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sādhu (प्रातिपदिक) + damana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; तत्पुरुष-समासः (साधूनां दमनम्) used adjectivally (as weapon/act)

• aṣṭa-aiśvarya-guṇa-anvitaḥ: endowed with the qualities of the eight powers
• aṣṭa-aiśvarya-guṇa-anvitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + aiśvarya (प्रातिपदिक) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + anvita (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; तत्पुरुष-समासः (अष्टैश्वर्य-गुणैः अन्वितः) qualifying jagat-patiḥ

• vicarann: roaming
• vicarann: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-car (धातु) → vicarant (कृदन्त)
• Form: Present Active Participle (शतृ/वर्तमान-कृदन्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; agreeing with jagat-patiḥ

• āśunā: swiftly
• āśunā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: āśu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• kṣauṇyām: on the earth
• kṣauṇyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣoṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• hayena: by/with the horse
• hayena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• apratima-dyutiḥ: of incomparable splendor
• apratima-dyutiḥ: Karta (कर्ता; appositional epithet of jagat-patiḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-pratima (प्रातिपदिक) + dyuti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; कर्मधारय-समासः (अप्रतिमा द्युतिः यस्य)

• nṛpa-liṅga-chadaḥ: (those) disguised with the marks of kings
• nṛpa-liṅga-chadaḥ: Karma (कर्म; object-class targeted—‘those who...’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक) + liṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + chada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रthama), Singular; तत्पुरुष-समासः (नृप-लिङ्गेन छदः/छादनं यस्य)

• dasyūn: bandits
• dasyūn: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dasyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural

• koṭiśaḥ: by the crores; in millions
• koṭiśaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: koṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverbial distributive (प्रकार/परिमाण)

• nihaniṣyati: will slay
• nihaniṣyati: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-han (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ (Periphrastic Future/लुट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथम-पुरुष), Singular

Purport

These verses describe the thrilling pastimes of Lord Kalki. Anyone would be attracted by the sight of a powerful, beautiful man riding on a wonderful horse at lightning speed, chastising and devastating cruel, demonic people with the sword in His hand.

Characters & Entities

• Kalki
• Devadatta

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Kalki riding Devadatta?

In this verse, Śukadeva describes the Lord’s future appearance as Kalki, who mounts the swift horse named Devadatta and sets out with a sword to reestablish dharma.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe Kalki’s sword and opulences?

He emphasizes that Kalki is the Supreme Lord, endowed with divine opulence, and that His sword represents decisive punishment of rampant adharma at the end of Kali-yuga.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

The verse inspires faith that dharma is ultimately protected by the Lord, and it encourages individuals to choose righteous conduct even when society declines.