Shloka 30

Aghāsura-vadha: The Killing and Deliverance of Aghāsura

Devanagari script

तच्छ्रुत्वा भगवान्कृष्णस्त्वव्यय: सार्भवत्सकम् । चूर्णीचिकीर्षोरात्मानं तरसा ववृधे गले ॥ ३० ॥

Transliteration

tac chrutvā bhagavān kṛṣṇas tv avyayaḥ sārbha-vatsakam cūrṇī-cikīrṣor ātmānaṁ tarasā vavṛdhe gale

Translation

雲の陰から聞こえる神々の「嗚呼、嗚呼！」を耳にすると、無敵にして不滅の至上主クリシュナは、彼らを押し潰そうとする魔の喉の内でただちに御身を大きくされ、ご自身と牧童の友ら、そして子牛を守られた。

Synonyms

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object of ‘hearing’

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया-पूर्वक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having heard’

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कृष्णः: Krishna
• कृष्णः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: None (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेषार्थक/विरोधार्थक अव्यय (emphatic/adversative particle)

• अव्ययः: imperishable
• अव्ययः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘imperishable’

• स-अर्भ-वत्सकम्: the group with boys and calves
• स-अर्भ-वत्सकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + अर्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + वत्सक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘with the boys and calves’ (सह अर्भैः वत्सकैः)

• चूर्णी-चिकीर्षोः: of (him) wishing to crush
• चूर्णी-चिकीर्षोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चूर्णी (प्रातिपदिक) + √कृ (धातु)
• Form: इच्छार्थक कृदन्त ‘चिकीर्षु’ (desiderative agent noun) from √कृ; षष्ठी (genitive), एकवचन; ‘of (him) wishing to pulverize’

• आत्मानम्: himself
• आत्मानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; reflexive

• तरसा: with force
• तरसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन; ‘with force/speed’

• ववृधे: grew; expanded
• ववृधे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वृध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• गले: in the throat
• गले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन

Purport

Such are the acts of Kṛṣṇa. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām ( Bg. 4.8 ). By enlarging Himself within the throat of the demon, Kṛṣṇa suffocated and killed him and at the same time saved Himself and His associates from imminent death and also saved the demigods from lamentation.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Vatsāsura

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna killing Vatsasura?

In this verse, Śukadeva explains that Kṛṣṇa, hearing of the danger, desired to crush Vatsāsura and instantly expanded within the demon’s throat, overpowering him from within.

Why did Krishna expand His body in the demon’s throat?

Kṛṣṇa chose a decisive, effortless divine act: by expanding inside the throat, He prevented harm to the calves and cowherd boys and destroyed the demon in a way that displayed His supreme control (avyayaḥ).

What is the practical application of this verse in modern life?

It teaches trust in divine protection: when danger or negativity “swallows” us, remembrance of Kṛṣṇa and steady devotion can bring inner strength and a way out, even when external options seem limited.