Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 24

The Sūtas Foretell the Glories and Future Deeds of King Pṛthu

Devanagari script

एषोऽश्वमेधाञ् शतमाजहारसरस्वती प्रादुरभावि यत्र । अहार्षीद्यस्य हयं पुरन्दर:शतक्रतुश्चरमे वर्तमाने ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

eṣo ’śvamedhāñ śatam ājahāra sarasvatī prādurabhāvi yatra ahārṣīd yasya hayaṁ purandaraḥ śata-kratuś carame vartamāne

Translation

ณแหล่งกำเนิดแม่น้ำสรัสวตี พระราชานี้จะประกอบอัศวเมธยัญหนึ่งร้อยครั้ง และในยัญครั้งสุดท้าย พระอินทร์ผู้เป็นศตกรตุ (ปุรันทร) จะลักม้าบูชายัญไป

Synonyms

• eṣaḥ: this (king)
• eṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (Nom), Ekavacana; demonstrative pronoun

• aśvamedhān: horse-sacrifices
• aśvamedhān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśvamedha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc), Bahuvacana

• śatam: a hundred
• śatam: Saṅkhyā-viśeṣaṇa (संख्या-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā (Acc), Ekavacana; saṅkhyā-viśeṣaṇa used adverbially with plural sense (‘a hundred’)

• ājahāra: performed/brought (completed)
• ājahāra: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-hṛ (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ lakāra (Perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

• sarasvatī: (the river/goddess) Sarasvatī
• sarasvatī: Karta (कर्ता) (of prādurabhāvi)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarasvatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (Nom), Ekavacana

• prādurabhāvi: appeared, manifested
• prādurabhāvi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prādur-bhū (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ lakāra (Aorist), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana, Parasmaipada; with preverb prādur-

• yatra: where
• yatra: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; deśa-avyaya (relative locative adverb)

• ahārṣīt: stole, carried off
• ahārṣīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-hṛ (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ lakāra (Aorist), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

• yasya: whose
• yasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (Gen), Ekavacana; relative pronoun

• hayam: horse
• hayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc), Ekavacana

• purandaraḥ: Indra (destroyer of forts)
• purandaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (of ahārṣīt)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purandara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (Nom), Ekavacana; epithet of Indra

• śata-kratuḥ: Śatakratu (Indra)
• śata-kratuḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (apposition to purandaraḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata + kratu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā (Nom), Ekavacana; bahuvrīhi epithet: ‘one whose rites are a hundred’ (Indra)

• carame: in the last
• carame: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: carama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga/Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Saptamī (Loc), Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of (aśvamedhe) understood: ‘in the last (sacrifice)’

• vartamāne: while proceeding
• vartamāne: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛt (धातु)
• Form: Vartamāna-kṛdanta (present middle participle, Śānac), Puṁliṅga/Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Saptamī (Loc), Ekavacana; ‘while (it) was going on’

Characters & Entities

• Pṛthu Mahārāja
• Indra (Purandara, Śatakratu)
• Sarasvatī

FAQs

Why did Indra steal the sacrificial horse in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam Canto 4?

Because Pṛthu Mahārāja was completing one hundred aśvamedhas, Indra—known as Śatakratu—became threatened in prestige and, out of rivalry, stole the horse during the final sacrifice.

What does this verse (Bhāgavatam 4.16.24) say about Pṛthu Mahārāja’s greatness?

It highlights that Pṛthu performed one hundred aśvamedha sacrifices and that his sacrificial site was so sanctified that Sarasvatī herself manifested there—showing extraordinary dharma and spiritual potency.

What is the practical lesson from Indra’s actions in this shloka?

Even exalted positions can be shaken by ego and comparison; a devotee should focus on sincere duty and devotion rather than status, rivalry, or recognition.