Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 11

Vṛtrāsura Rebukes Indra; Heroic Combat and the Asura’s Pure Devotional Prayers

Devanagari script

ऐरावतो वृत्रगदाभिमृष्टो विघूर्णितोऽद्रि: कुलिशाहतो यथा । अपासरद् भिन्नमुख: सहेन्द्रो मुञ्चन्नसृक् सप्तधनुर्भृशार्त: ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

airāvato vṛtra-gadābhimṛṣṭo vighūrṇito ’driḥ kuliśāhato yathā apāsarad bhinna-mukhaḥ sahendro muñcann asṛk sapta-dhanur bhṛśārtaḥ

Translation

ଯେପରି ବଜ୍ରାଘାତରେ ପର୍ବତ କମ୍ପିତ ହୁଏ, ସେହିପରି ବୃତ୍ରାସୁରର ଗଦା ପ୍ରହାରରେ ଐରାବତ ହାତୀ ବିଚଳିତ ହୋଇଗଲା। ତାହାର ମୁଖ ଫାଟି ରକ୍ତ ବାହାରିବାକୁ ଲାଗିଲା। ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଯନ୍ତ୍ରଣାରେ ବ୍ୟାକୁଳ ହୋଇ ସେ ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରଙ୍କ ସହିତ ସାତ ଧନୁ (ଚଉଦ ଗଜ) ପଛକୁ ଘୁଞ୍ଚିଗଲା ଏବଂ ପଡ଼ିଗଲା।

Synonyms

• ऐरावतः: Airāvata
• ऐरावतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐरावत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वृत्र-गदा-अभिमृष्टः: struck by Vṛtra’s mace
• वृत्र-गदा-अभिमृष्टः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषण/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + गदा (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिमृष्ट (कृदन्त; अभि+√मृश् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (vṛtra-gadābhimṛṣṭa = struck/touched by Vṛtra’s mace); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• विघूर्णितः: whirled/reeling
• विघूर्णितः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषण/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विघूर्णित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; वि+√घूर्ण् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• अद्रिः: a mountain
• अद्रिः: Upamana (उपमान/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अद्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कुलिश-आहतः: struck by a thunderbolt
• कुलिश-आहतः: Upamana-anvaya (उपमानविशेषण/Qualifier of comparison)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुलिश (प्रातिपदिक) + आहत (कृदन्त; आ+√हन् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (struck by a thunderbolt); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक (comparative particle: 'as/like')

• अपासरत्: moved away/retreated
• अपासरत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप + √सृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भिन्न-मुखः: with a split face
• भिन्न-मुखः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषण/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिन्न (कृदन्त; √भिद् (धातु) + क्त) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (with face split); भिन्न = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahartha (सहार्थ/Accompaniment marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (prepositional adverb: 'together with')

• इन्द्रः: Indra
• इन्द्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मुञ्चन्: letting out
• मुञ्चन्: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषण/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √मुच् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle)

• असृक्: blood
• असृक्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असृज्/असृक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सप्त-धनुः: (to the distance of) seven bows
• सप्त-धनुः: Desha-parimana (देशपरिमाण/Extent)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (or अव्ययीभाववत् परिमाणार्थे), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (measure: seven bows' length)

• भृश-आर्तः: severely pained
• भृश-आर्तः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषण/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भृशम् (अव्यय) + आर्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √ऋ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (greatly afflicted)

Characters & Entities

• Airāvata
• Vṛtrāsura
• Indra

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Vṛtrāsura’s power in the battle with Indra?

This verse describes Vṛtrāsura’s mace-strike as so forceful that Airāvata reels like a mountain hit by a thunderbolt, and Indra suffers intense pain—showing Vṛtra’s overwhelming martial strength in the conflict.

Why did Airāvata and Indra retreat after being struck?

After Vṛtrāsura’s blow, Airāvata’s face is split and bleeding and Indra is severely afflicted; the retreat reflects the immediate tactical withdrawal caused by the crushing impact and injury.

Practical application of this shloka’s teaching in modern life?

It highlights the reality of consequences in conflict—pride and aggression invite suffering—encouraging humility, restraint, and seeking higher shelter (dharma and devotion) rather than relying solely on power.