Shloka 36

The Slaying of Śālva and the Destruction of Saubha

Devanagari script

जहार तेनैव शिर: सकुण्डलं किरीटयुक्तं पुरुमायिनो हरि: । वज्रेण वृत्रस्य यथा पुरन्दरो बभूव हाहेति वचस्तदा नृणाम् ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

jahāra tenaiva śiraḥ sa-kuṇḍalaṁ kirīṭa-yuktaṁ puru-māyino hariḥ vajreṇa vṛtrasya yathā purandaro babhūva hāheti vacas tadā nṛṇām

Translation

त्याच चक्राने हरिने त्या महा-मायावीचा कुंडले व मुकुटासह शिरच्छेद केला; जसा पुरंदराने वज्राने वृत्राचे शिर छाटले. हे पाहून शाल्वाचे लोक ‘हाय! हाय!’ असे ओरडले.

Synonyms

• jahāra: severed/took away
• jahāra: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √hṛ (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular; ‘took away/removed’

• tena: with that
• tena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter/Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular; ‘with that’

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निश्चय/अवधारण)

• śiraḥ: head
• śiraḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• sa-kuṇḍalam: with earrings
• sa-kuṇḍalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/सह) + kuṇḍala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; qualifying śiraḥ; ‘with earrings’

• kirīṭa-yuktam: crown-adorned
• kirīṭa-yuktam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kirīṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + yukta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; qualifying śiraḥ; तत्पुरुष ‘endowed with a crown’

• puru-māyinaḥ: of the great illusionist
• puru-māyinaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puru (प्रातिपदिक) + māyin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular; कर्मधारय ‘of the great magician/one of many illusions’

• hariḥ: Hari (Kṛṣṇa)
• hariḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• vajreṇa: with the thunderbolt
• vajreṇa: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vajra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

• vṛtrasya: of Vṛtra
• vṛtrasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛtra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• yathā: as
• yathā: Upama (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Comparative indeclinable (उपमा/प्रकार-वाचक) ‘as/just as’

• purandaraḥ: Purandara (Indra)
• purandaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purandara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular (Indra)

• babhūva: arose
• babhūva: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular; ‘became/arose’

• hāhā: “alas! alas!”
• hāhā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hāhā (अव्यय)
• Form: Exclamation (उद्गार)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-प्रयोग)

• vacaḥ: cry/utterance
• vacaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Temporal adverb (कालवाचक अव्यय)

• nṛṇām: of the people
• nṛṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Plural

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
• Śālva
• Purandara (Indra)
• Vṛtra

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna defeating illusion (maya)?

This verse shows that even a “master of many illusions” like Śālva is effortlessly overcome by Lord Hari, indicating that māyā cannot stand before the Supreme Lord’s power.

Why is Śālva compared to Vṛtra being slain by Indra?

The text uses a famous Vedic parallel—Indra’s thunderbolt killing Vṛtra—to highlight the decisiveness and heroism of Kṛṣṇa’s act in removing a great threat.

Practical application of this shloka in modern life?

When confusion, deceit, or fear feels overpowering, this verse encourages devotees to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, trusting that divine truth cuts through even the strongest illusions.