Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 32

Paraśurāma, Kārtavīryārjuna, and the Kāmadhenu Offense

with Lunar-line Genealogy to Gādhi and Jamadagni

Devanagari script

द‍ृष्ट्वा स्वसैन्यं रुधिरौघकर्दमे रणाजिरे रामकुठारसायकै: । विवृक्णवर्मध्वजचापविग्रहं निपातितं हैहय आपतद् रुषा ॥ ३२ ॥

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā sva-sainyaṁ rudhiraugha-kardame raṇājire rāma-kuṭhāra-sāyakaiḥ vivṛkṇa-varma-dhvaja-cāpa-vigrahaṁ nipātitaṁ haihaya āpatad ruṣā

Translation

ಪರಶುರಾಮನ ಕೊಡಲಿ ಮತ್ತು ಬಾಣಗಳಿಂದ ತನ್ನ ಸೈನ್ಯವು ನಾಶವಾಗಿರುವುದನ್ನು ಮತ್ತು ರಣರಂಗವು ರಕ್ತದಿಂದ ಕೆಸರಾಗಿರುವುದನ್ನು ಕಂಡು ಕಾರ್ತವೀರ್ಯಾರ್ಜುನನು ಕೋಪದಿಂದ ಧಾವಿಸಿದನು.

Synonyms

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त), from √dṛś ‘to see’; expresses prior action

• sva-sainyam: his own army
• sva-sainyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + sainya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; कर्मधारय: ‘own’ + ‘army’

• rudhira-ogha-kardame: in the mud of a flood of blood
• rudhira-ogha-kardame: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudhira (प्रातिपदिक) + ogha (प्रातिपदिक) + kardama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; तत्पुरुष: ‘blood-flood’ qualifying ‘mud’ → ‘in mud of a flood of blood’

• raṇa-ajire: in the battle-arena
• raṇa-ajire: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ajira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; ‘in the battlefield-court/arena’

• rāma-kuṭhāra-sāyakaiḥ: with Rāma’s axes and arrows
• rāma-kuṭhāra-sāyakaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक) + kuṭhāra (प्रातिपदिक) + sāyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; ‘with the axes and arrows of Rāma’

• vivṛkṇa-varma-dhvaja-cāpa-vigraham: with armor, banners, bows, and bodies torn apart
• vivṛkṇa-varma-dhvaja-cāpa-vigraham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vivṛkṇa (कृदन्त, from √vṛj/√vraśc ‘to cut/tear’) + varman (प्रातिपदिक) + dhvaja (प्रातिपदिक) + cāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + vigraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; compound qualifying ‘sainyam’: ‘whose armor, banners, bows, and bodies/forms were torn’ (past-participle element used adjectivally)

• nipātitam: felled, laid low
• nipātitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni-√pat (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; agrees with ‘sva-sainyam’

• haihayaḥ: the Haihaya (Arjuna/Kārtavīrya)
• haihayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haihaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• āpatat: rushed (upon), attacked
• āpatat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√pat (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; ‘he rushed/attacked’

• ruṣā: with anger
• ruṣā: Hetu/Instrumental of manner (हेतु/भाव-तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ruṣ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; ‘with anger’

Characters & Entities

• Paraśurāma (Rāma)
• Haihaya (king of the Haihayas)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Paraśurāma’s battle with the Haihayas?

This verse depicts Paraśurāma overpowering the Haihaya forces—shattering armor, banners, bows, and bodies—prompting the Haihaya leader to charge forward in anger.

Why did the Haihaya rush forward in anger after seeing the battlefield?

He saw his own army devastated and the ground turned to a muddy flood of blood by Paraśurāma’s weapons, which provoked him to attack in fury.

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

Unchecked anger after loss leads to rash decisions; the verse warns that fury arising from pride and attachment can drive one deeper into conflict and ruin.