Shloka 14

The Slaying of Narakāsura (Bhaumāsura), Rescue of the Princesses, and the Pārijāta Episode Begins

Devanagari script

तान् पीठमुख्याननयद् यमक्षयं निकृत्तशीर्षोरुभुजाङ्‍‍घ्रिवर्मण: । स्वानीकपानच्युतचक्रसायकै- स्तथा निरस्तान् नरको धरासुत: । निरीक्ष्य दुर्मर्षण आस्रवन्मदै- र्गजै: पयोधिप्रभवैर्निराक्रमात् ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

tān pīṭha-mukhyān anayad yama-kṣayaṁ nikṛtta-śīrṣoru-bhujāṅghri-varmaṇaḥ svānīka-pān acyuta-cakra-sāyakais tathā nirastān narako dharā-sutaḥ nirīkṣya durmarṣaṇa āsravan-madair gajaiḥ payodhi-prabhavair nirākramāt

Translation

భగవంతుడు పీఠుడు మొదలైన సేనాపతుల తలలు, తొడలు, చేతులు, కాళ్లు మరియు కవచాలను ఖండించి వారిని యమపురికి పంపాడు. భూదేవి కుమారుడైన నరకాసురుడు తన సైన్యాధిపతుల నాశనాన్ని చూసి కోపాన్ని ఆపుకోలేక, క్షీరసాగర మథనంలో పుట్టిన మదపుటేనుగులతో నగరం నుండి బయటకు వచ్చాడు.

Synonyms

• tān: them
• tān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• pīṭha-mukhyān: Pīṭha and the leading ones
• pīṭha-mukhyān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pīṭha-mukhya (प्रातिपदिक: pīṭha + mukhya)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); ‘मुख्य’ = chief; ‘पीठमुख्य’ = Pīṭha and the chiefs (as a group) / chief among them

• anayat: led
• anayat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nī (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथमा-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; ‘अ + नयत्’ = led

• yama-kṣayam: to Yama’s realm (death)
• yama-kṣayam: Gati/Karma (गति/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama-kṣaya (प्रातिपदिक: yama + kṣaya)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष (to Yama + destruction) = abode of Yama/death

• nikṛtta-śīrṣa-uru-bhuja-aṅghri-varmaṇaḥ: of him whose heads, thighs, arms, feet, and armor were cut off
• nikṛtta-śīrṣa-uru-bhuja-aṅghri-varmaṇaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nikṛtta + śīrṣa + uru + bhuja + aṅghri + varman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); बहुव्रीहि—‘यस्य ...’ (whose heads, thighs, arms, feet, armor were cut off); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘नि + कृद्/कृत्’ (cut)

• sva-anīka-pān: his own army-leaders
• sva-anīka-pān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva-anīka-pa (प्रातिपदिक: sva + anīka + pa)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); ‘अनीकप’ = leader/protector of an army; तत्पुरुष (own-army leaders)

• acyuta-cakra-sāyakaiḥ: by Acyuta’s disc and arrows
• acyuta-cakra-sāyakaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: acyuta-cakra-sāyaka (प्रातिपदिक: acyuta + cakra + sāyaka)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); ‘Acyuta’s disc-and-arrows’ = weapons of Acyuta; समाहार/तत्पुरुष

• tathā: thus/also
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (thus/also)

• nirastān: repelled/defeated
• nirastān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirasta (प्रातिपदिक; नि + अस्/स्था? PPP)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘निर् + अस्/स्त’ = cast away/repelled

• narakaḥ: Naraka (Bhauma)
• narakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• dharā-sutaḥ: the son of Earth
• dharā-sutaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharā-suta (प्रातिपदिक: dharā + suta)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (son of Earth)

• nirīkṣya: having seen
• nirīkṣya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nir-īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), ‘नि + ईक्ष्’ = having seen/observed

• durmarṣaṇaḥ: hard to endure / intolerant
• durmarṣaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durmarṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of narakaḥ

• āsravat-madaiḥ: with (elephants) whose rut was flowing
• āsravat-madaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āsravat + mada (प्रातिपदिक; āsravat = present participle of ā-sru)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); ‘मदैः’ with qualifier ‘आस्रवत्’ (flowing)

• gajaiḥ: with elephants
• gajaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• payodhi-prabhavaiḥ: ocean-born
• payodhi-prabhavaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: payodhi-prabhava (प्रातिपदिक: payodhi + prabhava)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (born of the ocean)

• nirākramāt: he advanced/charged
• nirākramāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-ā-kram (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथमा-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; ‘निर् + आ + क्रम्’ = advanced/attacked

Characters & Entities

• Narakāsura (Naraka)
• Bhūmi (Earth-goddess, Dharā)
• Yama
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna defeating Narakasura?

This verse describes Narakāsura being overwhelmed as Kṛṣṇa’s forces strike down his foremost warriors with the Lord’s discus and arrows, showing the inevitable defeat of adharma under divine protection.

Why did Narakasura attack again with elephants in the Narakasura battle?

After seeing his leading fighters destroyed, Narakāsura—unable to tolerate defeat—launched a counterattack using powerful rutting elephants said to have arisen from the ocean.

What is the practical lesson of Bhagavatam 10.59.14 for modern life?

When arrogance and cruelty face truth and righteousness, they eventually collapse; the verse encourages steadiness in dharma and faith that divine order ultimately prevails.