Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 19

Indra’s Envy at Pṛthu’s Aśvamedha and Brahmā’s Intervention

False Renunciation Exposed

Devanagari script

उपसृज्य तमस्तीव्रं जहाराश्वं पुनर्हरि: । चषालयूपतश्छन्नो हिरण्यरशनं विभु: ॥ १९ ॥

Transliteration

upasṛjya tamas tīvraṁ jahārāśvaṁ punar hariḥ caṣāla-yūpataś channo hiraṇya-raśanaṁ vibhuḥ

Translation

ਹੇ ਵਿਦੁਰ! ਸਵਰਗ ਦਾ ਅਧਿਪਤੀ ਬਹੁਤ ਸ਼ਕਤੀਸ਼ਾਲੀ ਇੰਦਰ ਨੇ ਤੁਰੰਤ ਯਜ੍ਞ-ਮੰਡਪ ਉੱਤੇ ਘਣਾ ਅੰਧਕਾਰ ਛਾ ਦਿੱਤਾ। ਇਸ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਸਾਰਾ ਦ੍ਰਿਸ਼ ਢੱਕ ਕੇ, ਉਸ ਨੇ ਫਿਰ ਉਹ ਘੋੜਾ ਚੁਰਾ ਲਿਆ ਜੋ ਬਲੀ ਦੇ ਯੂਪ ਕੋਲ ਸੋਨੇ ਦੀਆਂ ਬੇੜੀਆਂ ਨਾਲ ਬੰਨ੍ਹਿਆ ਸੀ।

Synonyms

• उपसृज्य: having cast forth
• उपसृज्य: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + सृज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) ‘having produced/caused/let loose’

• तमः: darkness
• तमः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तीव्रम्: intense
• तीव्रम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीव्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying तमः)

• जहार: carried off
• जहार: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• अश्वम्: the horse
• अश्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्ति-अव्यय (adverb)

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• चषालयूपतः: from the post with the caṣāla (top-piece)
• चषालयूपतः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चषाल + यूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-अर्थे तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘from the caṣāla-yūpa’; समासः—तत्पुरुष (‘caṣāla’ qualifying ‘yūpa’)

• छन्नः: covered, concealed
• छन्नः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √छद्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle)

• हिरण्यरशनम्: golden girdle/rope
• हिरण्यरशनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्य + रशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (‘golden’ determining ‘girdle/rope’)

• विभुः: the mighty one
• विभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Lord Viṣṇu)

FAQs

Why did Lord Viṣṇu take the sacrificial horse again in Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 4?

In this passage, Hari repeatedly removes the Aśvamedha horse as a divine intervention, indicating that even grand sacrifices are subordinate to the Lord’s will and higher dharmic purpose.

Who is speaking this verse in the Bhagavata Purana (4.19.19)?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī speaks this verse while narrating to King Parīkṣit the events surrounding Pṛthu Mahārāja’s sacrifices and the Lord’s intervention.

What is the practical lesson of this verse for modern spiritual life?

Spiritual practice should be guided by humility and devotion, recognizing that success and obstacles alike are ultimately under the Supreme Lord’s direction—not merely human effort or ritual performance.