Shloka 33

Ūṣā-Haraṇa, Bāṇāsura’s Pride, and Aniruddha’s Capture

Prelude to Hari–Śaṅkara Conflict

Devanagari script

तं नागपाशैर्बलिनन्दनो बली घ्नन्तं स्वसैन्यं कुपितो बबन्ध ह । ऊषा भृशं शोकविषादविह्वला बद्धं निशम्याश्रुकलाक्ष्यरौत्सीत् ॥ ३३ ॥

Transliteration

taṁ nāga-pāśair bali-nandano balī ghnantaṁ sva-sainyaṁ kupito babandha ha ūṣā bhṛśaṁ śoka-viṣāda-vihvalā baddhaṁ niśamyāśru-kalākṣy arautsīt

Translation

ବଳିଙ୍କ ପରାକ୍ରମୀ ପୁତ୍ର ବାଣ କ୍ରୋଧରେ, ନିଜ ସେନାକୁ ନିହତ କରୁଥିବା ଶ୍ରୀଅନିରୁଦ୍ଧଙ୍କୁ ମାୟା ନାଗପାଶ ରଜ୍ଜୁରେ ବାନ୍ଧିଦେଲା। ଏହା ଶୁଣି ଊଷା ଶୋକ-ବିଷାଦରେ ବିହ୍ୱଳ ହୋଇ, ଅଶ୍ରୁପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ନୟନରେ କାନ୍ଦିଲା।

Synonyms

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• nāga-pāśaiḥ: with serpent-nooses
• nāga-pāśaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāga + pāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• bali-nandanaḥ: Bali’s son (Bāṇa)
• bali-nandanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bali + nandana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• balī: mighty
• balī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: balin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective)

• ghnantam: (while) striking
• ghnantam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु) → ghnant (वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• sva-sainyam: his own army
• sva-sainyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva + sainya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे (neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• kupitaḥ: angered
• kupitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kupita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• babandha: bound
• babandha: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bandh (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• ha: indeed
• ha: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), emphasis/indeclinable

• ūṣā: Ūṣā
• ūṣā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ūṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे (feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• bhṛśam: greatly
• bhṛśam: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhṛśam (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• śoka-viṣāda-vihvalā: overwhelmed by grief and despair
• śoka-viṣāda-vihvalā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śoka + viṣāda + vihvala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ūṣā)

• baddham: bound
• baddham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bandh (धातु) → baddha (क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भाव (as object)

• niśamya: having heard/learning
• niśamya: Kriya-hetu (क्रियाहेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ni-śam (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय-भाव

• aśru-kalā: a tear-drop
• aśru-kalā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśru + kalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (समासः—अश्रूणां कला)

• akṣi: in (her) eye
• akṣi: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: akṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• arautsīt: she wept
• arautsīt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rud (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; causative sense not intended here (simple aorist of √rud)

Purport

The ācāryas explain that Bāṇāsura could not actually capture the powerful grandson of Lord Kṛṣṇa. However, the Lord’s līla-śakti, or pastime potency, allowed this to happen so that the events described in the next chapter could take place.

Characters & Entities

• Bāṇāsura
• Aniruddha
• Uṣā
• Bali

FAQs

Why did Bāṇāsura bind Aniruddha with nāga-pāśa in Srimad Bhagavatam?

Because Aniruddha was defeating Bāṇāsura’s soldiers; in anger, Bāṇāsura restrained him using serpent-nooses (nāga-pāśa) to stop his attack.

Who is Uṣā and why does she cry when Aniruddha is captured?

Uṣā is Bāṇāsura’s daughter; hearing that Aniruddha—whom she loved—had been bound, she was overcome with sorrow and despair and wept.

What practical lesson does this verse teach for modern life?

Even powerful circumstances can suddenly “bind” a person; the Bhāgavatam narrative encourages taking shelter of Bhagavān and acting with steadiness rather than panic when reversals arise.