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Shloka 37

Aghāsura-vadha: The Killing and Deliverance of Aghāsura

एतत् कौमारजं कर्म हरेरात्माहिमोक्षणम् । मृत्यो: पौगण्डके बाला द‍ृष्ट्वोचुर्विस्मिता व्रजे ॥ ३७ ॥

etat kaumārajaṁ karma harer ātmāhi-mokṣaṇam mṛtyoḥ paugaṇḍake bālā dṛṣṭvocur vismitā vraje

เหตุการณ์นี้เป็นลีลาในวัยเยาว์ของพระหริ—พระองค์ทรงช่วยพระองค์เองและสหายให้พ้นจากความตาย และยังประทานความหลุดพ้นแก่อฆาสุระผู้แปลงเป็นงูยักษ์ เหตุเกิดเมื่อพระกฤษณะมีอายุห้าปี แต่ในแผ่นดินวรชะกลับเปิดเผยหลังจากหนึ่งปี ราวกับเกิดขึ้นในวันนั้นเอง เด็กๆ จึงกล่าวด้วยความพิศวง

etatthis
etat:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootetad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; demonstrative used adjectivally with karma
kaumārajamdone in (his) childhood
kaumārajam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootkaumāraja (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; qualifying karma; ‘belonging to boyhood (kaumāra)’
karmadeed
karma:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootkarman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular
hareḥof Hari
hareḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Roothari (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular
ātmāhi-mokṣaṇamthe self-accomplished liberation of the serpent
ātmāhi-mokṣaṇam:
Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootātman (प्रातिपदिक) + ahi (प्रातिपदिक) + mokṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; determinative compound: ‘release of the serpent (ahi) by himself (ātmanā)’; head: mokṣaṇa
mṛtyoḥof death
mṛtyoḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootmṛtyu (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular
paugaṇḍakein (his) paugaṇḍa age
paugaṇḍake:
Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootpaugaṇḍaka (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; ‘in the paugaṇḍa age (later boyhood)’
bālāḥthe boys
bālāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootbāla (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural
dṛṣṭvāhaving seen
dṛṣṭvā:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootdṛś (धातु)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा) ‘having seen’
ūcuḥsaid
ūcuḥ:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvac (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada; 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)
vismitāḥastonished
vismitāḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootvismita (कृदन्त, स्मि धातु)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; PPP (क्त) used adjectivally; qualifying bālāḥ
vrajein Vraja
vraje:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootvraja (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

The word mokṣaṇam means “liberation.” For the associates of Kṛṣṇa and for Kṛṣṇa Himself, there is no question about liberation; they are already liberated, being in the spiritual world. In the material world there are birth, death, old age and disease, but in the spiritual world there are no such things because everything is eternal. As for the python, however, by the association of Kṛṣṇa and His devotees, Aghāsura also achieved the same facility of eternal life. Therefore, as indicated here by the word ātmāhi-mokṣaṇam, if the python Aghāsura could receive eternal association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, what is to be said of those who are already associates of the Lord? Sākaṁ vijahruḥ kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ ( Bhāg. 10.12.11). Here is proof that God is good for everyone. Even when He kills someone, the one who is killed attains liberation. What then is to be said of those who are already in the association of the Lord?

H
Hari (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
V
Vraja-bālāḥ (cowherd boys of Vraja)

FAQs

This verse states that Hari’s childhood pastime displayed His divine greatness and freed the Vraja boys from death, leaving them astonished.

Because they directly witnessed an extraordinary act of Kṛṣṇa that revealed His supreme power and protection—something far beyond ordinary childhood play.

Remembering that the Lord safeguards His devotees can deepen faith during fear and uncertainty, encouraging steady bhakti instead of anxiety.