Shloka 29

Paugaṇḍa Cowherding, Tālavana, the Slaying of Dhenukāsura, and Revival from Poisoned Yamunā Water

Devanagari script

फलानां पततां शब्दं निशम्यासुररासभ: । अभ्यधावत् क्षितितलं सनगं परिकम्पयन् ॥ २९ ॥

Transliteration

phalānāṁ patatāṁ śabdaṁ niśamyāsura-rāsabhaḥ abhyadhāvat kṣiti-talaṁ sa-nagaṁ parikampayan

Translation

เมื่อได้ยินเสียงผลไม้ร่วงลง อสูรรูปลาธีนุกะก็พุ่งเข้ามาโจมตี ทำให้แผ่นดินและต้นไม้สั่นสะเทือน

Synonyms

• फलानाम्: of fruits
• फलानाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन — of fruits

• पतताम्: of (the) falling (ones)
• पतताम्: विशेषण (Adjectival to फलानाम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत् (धातु) → पतत् (शतृ-कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; (फलानाम्) विशेषण — of (those) falling

• शब्दम्: sound
• शब्दम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — sound (object)

• निशम्य: having heard
• निशम्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि-शम् (धातु) → निशम्य (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund) — having heard

• असुर-रासभः: the demon-ass (Dhenuka)
• असुर-रासभः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक) + रासभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: असुराणां रासभः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — the ass among demons

• अभ्यधावत्: ran toward
• अभ्यधावत्: क्रिया (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-धाव् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन — ran towards

• क्षिति-तलम्: the ground
• क्षिति-तलम्: कर्म (Karma/Goal-object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षिति (प्रातिपदिक) + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: क्षितेः तलम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — the surface of the earth

• स-नगम्: with its mountains
• स-नगम्: विशेषण (Adjectival to क्षितितलम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ ‘with’) + नग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (सह-अर्थे: स-नगम् = नगैः सह); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (क्षितितलम्) विशेषण — with mountains

• परिकम्पयन्: shaking
• परिकम्पयन्: कर्ता-विशेषण (Agent-participle qualifying subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-कम्प् (धातु) → परिकम्पयत् (शतृ-कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृसमानाधिकरण — shaking (while running)

Characters & Entities

• Dhenukāsura

FAQs

Who is the ass-demon mentioned in Bhagavatam 10.15.29?

The verse refers to Dhenukāsura, the powerful ass-shaped demon who guarded the Tālavana forest and rushed forward upon hearing the fruits fall.

Why did Dhenukāsura run toward the sound of falling fruits?

Because the demons controlled access to the Tālavana fruits; hearing them fall signaled an intrusion, so Dhenukāsura charged in to attack and protect his territory.

What is the practical lesson from Bhagavatam 10.15.29 for modern life?

When spiritual progress begins to “bear fruit,” obstacles may arise; steady devotion and taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa’s protection helps one overcome disruptive forces.