Shloka 6

Śrāddhadeva Manu’s Sons: Pṛṣadhra’s Curse and Renunciation; Genealogies of Nariṣyanta and Diṣṭa

Devanagari script

एकां जग्राह बलवान् सा चुक्रोश भयातुरा । तस्यास्तु क्रन्दितं श्रुत्वा पृषध्रोऽनुससार ह ॥ ५ ॥ खड्‌गमादाय तरसा प्रलीनोडुगणे निशि । अजानन्नच्छिनोद् बभ्रो: शिर: शार्दूलशङ्कया ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

ekāṁ jagrāha balavān sā cukrośa bhayāturā tasyās tu kranditaṁ śrutvā pṛṣadhro ’nusasāra ha

Translation

A mighty tiger seized a cow, and the cow cried out in fear and distress. Hearing her scream, Pṛṣadhra at once ran toward the sound. Sword in hand, but with the stars hidden by clouds in the night, he mistook the cow for the tiger and, in a forceful blow, mistakenly severed the cow’s head.

Synonyms

• ekām: one (female)
• ekām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/2nd), Ekavacana (sg.)

• jagrāha: seized
• jagrāha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: grah (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ? actually Liṭ (Perfect/लिट्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana (sg.), Parasmaipada

• balavān: strong
• balavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: balavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (m.), Prathamā vibhakti (Nom./1st), Ekavacana (sg.)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā (Nom./1st), Ekavacana (sg.)

• cukrośa: cried out
• cukrośa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kruś (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (Perfect/लिट्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana (sg.), Parasmaipada

• bhayāturā: distressed with fear
• bhayāturā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhaya-ātura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: bhayena āturā (instrumental-determinative); Strīliṅga (f.), Prathamā (Nom./1st), Ekavacana (sg.)

• tasyāḥ: of her
• tasyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Gen./6th), Ekavacana (sg.)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/contrast marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta/particle (निपात)

• kranditam: crying, lamentation
• kranditam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krandita (कृदन्त; krand + kta)
• Form: Napुंसकliṅga (n.), Prathamā/Dvitīyā (Nom./Acc.), Ekavacana (sg.); Kta-participle used as noun

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), avyaya

• pṛṣadhraḥ: Pṛṣadhra
• pṛṣadhraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛṣadhra (प्रातिपदिक; proper noun)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nom./1st), Ekavacana (sg.)

• anusasāra: followed
• anusasāra: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-sṛ (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (Perfect/लिट्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana (sg.), Parasmaipada

• ha: indeed
• ha: Prayojaka-nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (emphatic/metrical particle)

• khaḍgam: sword
• khaḍgam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaḍga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (m.), Dvitīyā (Acc./2nd), Ekavacana (sg.)

• ādāya: having taken
• ādāya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā-√dā (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (ल्यप्), avyaya

• tarasā: with speed/force
• tarasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: taras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकliṅga (n.), Tṛtīyā (Instr./3rd), Ekavacana (sg.)

• pralīna-uḍugaṇe: when the stars had disappeared
• pralīna-uḍugaṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pralīna + uḍu-gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya: pralīnaḥ uḍugaṇaḥ yasmin (locative phrase); Puṁliṅga (m.)/collective, Saptamī (Loc./7th), Ekavacana (sg.)

• niśi: at night
• niśi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Saptamī (Loc./7th), Ekavacana (sg.)

• ajānann: not knowing
• ajānann: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: Śatṛ-present participle (शतृ), Puṁliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nom./1st), Ekavacana (sg.); with privative a- = ‘not knowing’

• acchinat: cut off
• acchinat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: chid (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (Aorist/लुङ्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana (sg.), Parasmaipada

• babhroḥ: of the brown one (cow)
• babhroḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: babhru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (m.), Ṣaṣṭhī (Gen./6th), Ekavacana (sg.)

• śiraḥ: head
• śiraḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकliṅga (n.), Dvitīyā (Acc./2nd), Ekavacana (sg.)

• śārdūla-śaṅkayā: due to suspicion of a tiger
• śārdūla-śaṅkayā: Hetu/Nimitta (हेतु/निमित्त)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śārdūla + śaṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: śārdūlasya śaṅkayā (genitive-determinative); Strīliṅga (f.), Tṛtīyā (Instr./3rd), Ekavacana (sg.)

Characters & Entities

• Pṛṣadhra

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about protecting cows and the helpless?

This verse shows a kṣatriya’s dharma: upon hearing a cow’s cry of fear, Pṛṣadhra immediately pursues the threat to protect her.

Why did Pṛṣadhra run after the attacker in Bhagavatam 9.2?

He heard the distressed cry of the cow and responded instantly, acting according to the royal duty of protection.

Practical application of kshatriya-dharma in modern life?

Respond promptly to suffering around you—protect dependents, intervene against harm, and take responsibility rather than remaining indifferent.