Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 26
Paraśurāma, Kārtavīryārjuna, and the Kāmadhenu Offense
with Lunar-line Genealogy to Gādhi and Jamadagni
हविर्धानीमृषेर्दर्पान्नरान् हर्तुमचोदयत् । ते च माहिष्मतीं निन्यु: सवत्सां क्रन्दतीं बलात् ॥ २६ ॥
havirdhānīm ṛṣer darpān narān hartum acodayat te ca māhiṣmatīṁ ninyuḥ sa-vatsāṁ krandatīṁ balāt
ಭೌತಿಕ ಶಕ್ತಿಯ ದರ್ಪದಿಂದ ಉಬ್ಬಿದ ಕಾರ್ತವೀರ್ಯಾರ್ಜುನನು ತನ್ನ ಜನರನ್ನು ಋಷಿಯ ಹವಿರ್ಧಾನಿ (ಕಾಮಧೇನು)ಯನ್ನು ಕಸಿದುಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ಪ್ರೇರೇಪಿಸಿದನು. ಅವರು ಅಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಕಾಮಧೇನುವನ್ನು ಅದರ ಕರುದೊಂದಿಗೆ ಬಲವಂತವಾಗಿ ಮಾಹಿಷ್ಮತಿಗೆ ಕರೆದೊಯ್ದರು.
The word havirdhānīm is significant in this verse. Havirdhānīm refers to a cow required for supplying havis, or ghee, for the performance of ritualistic ceremonies in sacrifices. In human life, one should be trained to perform yajñas. As we are informed in Bhagavad-gītā (3.9) , yajñārthāt karmaṇo ’nyatra loko ’yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ: if we do not perform yajña, we shall simply work very hard for sense gratification like dogs and hogs. This is not civilization. A human being should be trained to perform yajña. Yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ. If yajñas are regularly performed, there will be proper rain from the sky, and when there is regular rainfall, the land will be fertile and suitable for producing all the necessities of life. Yajña, therefore, is essential. For performing yajña, clarified butter is essential, and for clarified butter, cow protection is essential. Therefore, if we neglect the Vedic way of civilization, we shall certainly suffer. So-called scholars and philosophers do not know the secret of success in life, and therefore they suffer in the hands of prakṛti, nature ( prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ ). Nonetheless, although they are forced to suffer, they think they are advancing in civilization ( ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate ). The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is therefore meant to revive a mode of civilization in which everyone will be happy. This is the motive of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Yajñe sukhena bhavantu.
FAQs
This verse describes men being incited to seize the sage’s cow and drag her to Māhiṣmatī, an act meant to curb (or provoke around) the sage’s pride and to set the events of the Haihaya–kṣatriya conflict in motion.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī is narrating this history to King Parīkṣit.
Misusing authority to harm the innocent—especially dependents—creates grave reactions; humility and restraint are essential, and dharma requires protecting the vulnerable rather than exploiting power.