Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 16

Aghāsura-vadha: The Killing and Deliverance of Aghāsura

Devanagari script

इति व्यवस्याजगरं बृहद् वपु: स योजनायाममहाद्रिपीवरम् । धृत्वाद्भ‍ुतं व्यात्तगुहाननं तदा पथि व्यशेत ग्रसनाशया खल: ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

iti vyavasyājagaraṁ bṛhad vapuḥ sa yojanāyāma-mahādri-pīvaram dhṛtvādbhutaṁ vyātta-guhānanaṁ tadā pathi vyaśeta grasanāśayā khalaḥ

Translation

ಹೀಗೆ ನಿರ್ಧರಿಸಿ, ಆ ದುಷ್ಟನು ಪರ್ವತದಷ್ಟು ದಪ್ಪ ಮತ್ತು ಎಂಟು ಮೈಲಿ ಉದ್ದದ ಹೆಬ್ಬಾವಿನ ರೂಪವನ್ನು ತಾಳಿದನು. ಗುಹೆಯಂತೆ ಬಾಯಿಯನ್ನು ತೆರೆದು ದಾರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮಲಗಿದನು.

Synonyms

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; quotative particle

• vyavasya: having decided
• vyavasya: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (पूर्वकालिक क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vi-ava-√sā (सा धातु) + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: Gerund (ल्यप्/त्वान्त-समकक्ष), avyaya; ‘having resolved/decided’

• ajagaram: a python-like form
• ajagaram: Karma (कर्म/object of dhṛtvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ajagara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular

• bṛhat: huge
• bṛhat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of vapuḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bṛhat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; agrees with vapuḥ

• vapuḥ: body, form
• vapuḥ: Karma (कर्म/object of dhṛtvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vapus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• yojanāyāma-mahādri-pīvaram: a yojana long, mountain-like massive
• yojanāyāma-mahādri-pīvaram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of vapuḥ/ajagaram)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yojanāyāma + mahā-adri + pīvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘योजन-आयामः महाद्रिवत् पīवरः’ (as huge as a great mountain, a yojana in length)

• dhṛtvā: having assumed
• dhṛtvā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (पूर्वकालिक क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √dhṛ (धृ धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वान्त), avyaya; ‘having assumed/taken’

• adbhutam: wonderful, astonishing
• adbhutam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adbhuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; agrees with vapuḥ

• vyātta-guhā-ānanam: with a cave-like gaping mouth
• vyātta-guhā-ānanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of vapuḥ/ajagaram)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vyātta (√yam, यम् धातु; क्त, with vi-ā) + guhā + ānana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; तत्पुरुषः—‘गुहावत् आननं व्यात्तम्’ (mouth gaping like a cave)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; temporal adverb

• pathi: on the path
• pathi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pathin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular

• vyaśeta: lay down
• vyaśeta: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ā-√śī (शी धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्, aorist), Ātmanepada, Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Singular; ‘lay down’

• grasana-āśayā: with the intention of swallowing
• grasana-āśayā: Hetu (हेतु/cause-motive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grasana (√gras, ग्रस् धातु; ल्युट्) + āśā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular; तत्पुरुषः—‘ग्रसनस्य आशया’ (with the desire to swallow)

• khalaḥ: the wicked one
• khalaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/apposition to saḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Balarāma
• Vraja-gopāḥ (cowherd boys)
• Aghāsura (implied)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Aghasura and his plan to kill Krishna’s friends?

This verse describes the demon’s strategy: he takes a gigantic python-like form, lies across the path with a cave-like mouth open, intending to swallow Kṛṣṇa and the cowherd boys.

Why is the demon described as having a ‘cave-like mouth’ in Bhagavatam 10.12.16?

To emphasize the terrifying scale of the asura’s deception—his mouth is so vast it resembles a mountain cave, making the trap appear like a natural opening on the path.

Practical application: what lesson does this shloka give for modern life?

Danger can appear “normal” and inviting, like a path-side opening; the verse encourages vigilance and reliance on Kṛṣṇa’s protection when facing deceptive, harmful influences.