Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 30

Paraśurāma, Kārtavīryārjuna, and the Kāmadhenu Offense

with Lunar-line Genealogy to Gādhi and Jamadagni

Devanagari script

अचोदयद्धस्तिरथाश्वपत्तिभि- र्गदासिबाणर्ष्टिशतघ्निशक्तिभि: । अक्षौहिणी: सप्तदशातिभीषणा- स्ता राम एको भगवानसूदयत् ॥ ३० ॥

Transliteration

acodayad dhasti-rathāśva-pattibhir gadāsi-bāṇarṣṭi-śataghni-śaktibhiḥ akṣauhiṇīḥ sapta-daśātibhīṣaṇās tā rāma eko bhagavān asūdayat

Translation

പരശുരാമനെ കണ്ടതുമാത്രം കാർതവീര്യാർജുനൻ ഭയപ്പെട്ടു; ഗദ, വാൾ, ബാണം, ഋഷ്ടി, ശതഘ്നി, ശക്തി മുതലായ ആയുധങ്ങളോടെ സജ്ജമായ ആന, രഥം, കുതിര, പടയാളികൾ എന്നിവയടങ്ങിയ പതിനേഴു അക്ഷൗഹിണി ഭീകരസേനയെ അയച്ചു. എന്നാൽ ഭഗവാൻ രാമൻ (പരശുരാമൻ) ഒറ്റയ്ക്കു തന്നെ അവരെല്ലാം സംഹരിച്ചു.

Synonyms

• अचोदयत्: drove/impelled
• अचोदयत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अ√चुद्/चुद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense ‘set in motion/impelled’

• हस्तिरथाश्वपत्तिभिः: with elephants, chariots, horses, and infantry
• हस्तिरथाश्वपत्तिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्ति + रथ + अश्व + पत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (elephants, chariots, horses, foot-soldiers)

• गदासिबाणर्ष्टिशतघ्निशक्तिभिः: with maces, swords, arrows, spears, śataghni weapons, and spears
• गदासिबाणर्ष्टिशतघ्निशक्तिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा + असि + बाण + ऋष्टि + शतघ्नी + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री/पुं मिश्र; तृतीया, बहुवचन; समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (maces, swords, arrows, spears, clubs, lances)

• अक्षौहिणीः: armies (akṣauhiṇīs)
• अक्षौहिणीः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षौहिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• सप्तदश: seventeen
• सप्तदश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त + दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; ‘सप्तदश’ = seventeen; विशेषण (qualifying ‘armies’)

• अतिभीषणाः: very dreadful
• अतिभीषणाः: Visheshana (विशेषण; of ‘those armies’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + भीषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘अति’ उपसर्गवत्/अव्ययीभाव-समास; विशेषण (very terrible)

• ताः: those
• ताः: Karma (कर्म; object of ‘killed’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एकः: alone
• एकः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• भगवान्: the Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• असूदयत्: slew
• असूदयत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अ√सूद्/सूद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative/intensive sense ‘caused to be slain’

Purport

The word akṣauhiṇī refers to a military phalanx consisting of 21,870 chariots and elephants, 109,350 infantry soldiers and 65,610 horses. An exact description is given in the Mahābhārata, Ādi parva, Second Chapter, as follows:

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Paraśurāma)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Parashurama’s power in Canto 9?

This verse states that Rāma (Paraśurāma), being Bhagavān, single-handedly destroyed seventeen fearsome akṣauhiṇīs, showing divine supremacy beyond ordinary martial strength.

Why is Parashurama described as ‘Bhagavān’ in Bhagavatam 9.15.30?

Because Paraśurāma is an avatāra of the Lord; the verse emphasizes that the victory was not merely human heroism but the Lord’s divine intervention to reestablish dharma.

Practical application: what does this shloka teach a devotee today?

It teaches reliance on the Supreme in overwhelming situations: when dharma is threatened and challenges seem innumerable, the Lord’s power is unlimited, and sincere alignment with dharma brings protection.