Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 6

Balarāma Slays the Ape Dvivida

Dvivida-vadha

Devanagari script

आश्रमानृषिमुख्यानां कृत्वा भग्नवनस्पतीन् । अदूषयच्छकृन्मूत्रैरग्नीन् वैतानिकान् खल: ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

āśramān ṛṣi-mukhyānāṁ kṛtvā bhagna-vanaspatīn adūṣayac chakṛn-mūtrair agnīn vaitānikān khalaḥ

Translation

उस दुष्ट वानर ने श्रेष्ठ ऋषियों के आश्रमों के वृक्ष तोड़ डाले और उनके वैतानिक यज्ञाग्नियों को मल-मूत्र से अपवित्र कर दिया।

Synonyms

• आश्रमान्: hermitages
• आश्रमान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ऋषि-मुख्यानाम्: of the foremost sages
• ऋषि-मुख्यानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कृत्वा: having made / having done
• कृत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• भग्न-वनस्पतीन्: broken trees
• भग्न-वनस्पतीन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भग्न (कृदन्त/भञ्ज्-धातु से) + वनस्पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अदूषयत्: he defiled
• अदूषयत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दूष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• शकृत्-मूत्रैः: with feces and urine
• शकृत्-मूत्रैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकृत् (प्रातिपदिक) + मूत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अग्नीन्: fires
• अग्नीन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वैतानिकान्: ritual (Vedic)
• वैतानिकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैतानिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम् (qualifying) अग्नीन्

• खलः: the wicked man
• खलः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Characters & Entities

• Dvivida
• ṛṣis (foremost sages)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about offending sages and sacred fires?

This verse describes Dvivida’s grave aparādha: he destroys sages’ āśramas and pollutes their Vedic sacrificial fires, illustrating how such acts are considered deeply sinful and destructive to dharma.

Who is Dvivida in Bhagavatam and what wrong did he do?

Dvivida is a powerful, wicked ape who terrorizes the world; here he is specifically said to vandalize sages’ hermitages and defile their yajña fires with stool and urine.

Practical application: what is the lesson of this shloka for modern life?

Respect holy places, saintly persons, and sacred practices; avoid deliberate disrespect or contamination—spiritual life thrives on reverence, cleanliness, and protection of dharmic culture.