Shloka 18

The Slaying of Śālva and the Destruction of Saubha

Devanagari script

यत्त्वया मूढ न: सख्युर्भ्रातुर्भार्या हृतेक्षताम् । प्रमत्त: स सभामध्ये त्वया व्यापादित: सखा ॥ १७ ॥ तं त्वाद्य निशितैर्बाणैरपराजितमानिनम् । नयाम्यपुनरावृत्तिं यदि तिष्ठेर्ममाग्रत: ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

yat tvayā mūḍha naḥ sakhyur bhrātur bhāryā hṛtekṣatām pramattaḥ sa sabhā-madhye tvayā vyāpāditaḥ sakhā

Translation

[సాళ్వుడు ఇలా అన్నాడు:] ఓరి మూర్ఖుడా! మా కళ్ళ ముందే మా మిత్రుడు శిశుపాలుని కాబోయే భార్యను అపహరించావు, ఆపై నిండు సభలో అతడు అప్రమత్తంగా ఉన్నప్పుడు చంపావు. కనుక ఈ రోజు నా పదునైన బాణాలతో నిన్ను తిరిగిరాని లోకానికి పంపిస్తాను! నిన్ను నీవు అजेయుడివని భావించినా, నా ముందు నిలబడితే నిన్ను ఇప్పుడే సంహరిస్తాను.

Synonyms

• yat: that which
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; relative pronoun (यत्)

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; 2nd person pronoun

• mūḍha: O fool
• mūḍha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūḍha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; used as address

• naḥ: our
• naḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural; enclitic form

• sakhyuḥ: of (the) friend
• sakhyuḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sakhī/sakha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; ‘of (my/our) friend’

• bhrātuḥ: of (his) brother
• bhrātuḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• bhāryā: wife
• bhāryā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• hṛtā: abducted/taken away
• hṛtā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hṛ (धातु) + kta (क्त) → hṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agrees with bhāryā

• īkṣatām: let (them) see
• īkṣatām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), 3rd person, Plural; Parasmaipada; ‘let (them) see’

• pramattaḥ: careless/intoxicated
• pramattaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pramatta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; qualifies ‘saḥ’ (he)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; demonstrative pronoun

• sabhā-madhye: in the assembly hall
• sabhā-madhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sabhā (प्रातिपदिक) + madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): ‘in the middle of the assembly’

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• vyāpāditaḥ: killed/slain
• vyāpāditaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-ā-pad (धातु) + kta (क्त) → vyāpādita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agrees with sakhā

• sakhā: friend
• sakhā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sakha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• tvā: you
• tvā: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; enclitic form

• adya: today/now
• adya: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• niśitaiḥ: with sharp
• niśitaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niśita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; qualifies bāṇaiḥ

• bāṇaiḥ: arrows
• bāṇaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

• aparājita-māninam: who deems himself unconquered
• aparājita-māninam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aparājita (प्रातिपदिक) + mānin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; कर्मधारय: ‘(one) thinking himself unconquered’

• nayāmi: I will lead/bring
• nayāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nī (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present/वर्तमान), 1st person, Singular; Parasmaipada

• apunar-āvṛttim: to no return
• apunar-āvṛttim: Gati/Karma (गति/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-punar-āvṛtti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; अव्ययीभाव: ‘to non-return’ (i.e., death)

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Conditional particle (शर्त-निबन्धन-अव्यय)

• tiṣṭheḥ: you stand/remain
• tiṣṭheḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), 2nd person, Singular; Parasmaipada; Vedic/epic ending -eḥ for -a (tiṣṭha)

• mama: of me/my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• agrataḥ: in front (of me)
• agrataḥ: Deśa (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: agrataḥ (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय): ‘in front’

Characters & Entities

• Śālva
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Pradyumna
• Rukmiṇī

FAQs

What is the meaning of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.77.17?

Śālva taunts Kṛṣṇa by accusing Him of killing Pradyumna—described as the beloved of Kṛṣṇa’s brother’s wife (Rukmiṇī)—while he was off-guard in an assembly.

Why did Śālva say this to Kṛṣṇa in Canto 10 Chapter 77?

Śālva uses deception and harsh words to shake Kṛṣṇa emotionally during battle, trying to weaken His resolve by presenting a false narrative of Pradyumna’s death.

Practical application: what does this verse teach about insults and misinformation?

It highlights how opponents may weaponize false accusations and emotionally charged claims; a devotee learns steadiness, discernment, and refusal to be driven by provocation.