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Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 35

Paraśurāma, Kārtavīryārjuna, and the Kāmadhenu Offense

with Lunar-line Genealogy to Gādhi and Jamadagni

कृत्तबाहो: शिरस्तस्य गिरे: श‍ृङ्गमिवाहरत् । हते पितरि तत्पुत्रा अयुतं दुद्रुवुर्भयात् ॥ ३५ ॥ अग्निहोत्रीमुपावर्त्य सवत्सां परवीरहा । समुपेत्याश्रमं पित्रे परिक्लिष्टां समर्पयत् ॥ ३६ ॥

kṛtta-bāhoḥ śiras tasya gireḥ śṛṅgam ivāharat hate pitari tat-putrā ayutaṁ dudruvur bhayāt

ព្រះបរशुរាម បានកាត់ក្បាលរបស់គាត់ដូចជាកំពូលភ្នំ។ ពេលឃើញឪពុកស្លាប់ កូនប្រុសរបស់គាត់បានរត់គេចខ្លួនដោយភ័យខ្លាច។ បន្ទាប់មក ទ្រង់បាននាំគោ Kamadhenu ដែលរងទុក្ខ ត្រឡប់ទៅជូនឪពុករបស់ទ្រង់វិញ។

kṛtta-bāhoḥof (him) whose arms were cut off
kṛtta-bāhoḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootkṛtta (कृदन्त from √kṛt/√kart ‘to cut’) + bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; बहुव्रीहि: ‘whose arms are cut’ → ‘of the one with cut-off arms’ (i.e., Arjuna)
śiraḥhead
śiraḥ:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootśiras (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular
tasyaof him
tasya:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular
gireḥof a mountain
gireḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootgiri (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular
śṛṅgampeak, horn
śṛṅgam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootśṛṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular
ivalike
iva:
Upamā (उपमा)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiva (अव्यय)
FormComparative particle (उपमा-निपात)
āharatcarried off, took away
āharat:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootā-√hṛ (धातु)
FormImperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular
hatewhen (he) was slain
hate:
Locative absolute (सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध/सप्तमी-निरपेक्षा)
TypeVerb
Root√han (धातु)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; locative absolute with ‘pitari’
pitari(their) father
pitari:
Locative absolute (सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootpitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; with ‘hate’ forms locative absolute
tat-putrāḥhis sons
tat-putrāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + putra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; ‘his sons’
ayutamten thousand (in number)
ayutam:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (परिमाण/संख्या-विशेषण)
TypeNoun
Rootayuta (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; numeral noun ‘ten thousand’ used adverbially/quantitatively
dudruvuḥran away
dudruvuḥ:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√dru (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural
bhayātfrom fear
bhayāt:
Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootbhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; expresses cause
K
Kṛttabāhu

FAQs

This verse shows swift reversal of power: when a ruler like Kṛttabāhu is slain, even a vast following (ten thousand sons) collapses into fear—illustrating how adharma and loss of divine favor lead to sudden downfall.

With their protector gone and the opposing warrior demonstrating overwhelming strength, they lost courage and ran—highlighting the fragility of worldly security when leadership falls.

Relying only on power, position, or numbers is unstable; real security comes from righteous conduct (dharma) and inner steadiness rather than external dominance.