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Shloka 17

Trivakrā’s Transformation and the Breaking of Kaṁsa’s Bow

Mathurā-līlā Prelude

करेण वामेन सलीलमुद्‌धृतंसज्यं च कृत्वा निमिषेण पश्यताम् । नृणां विकृष्य प्रबभञ्ज मध्यतोयथेक्षुदण्डं मदकर्युरुक्रम: ॥ १७ ॥

kareṇa vāmena sa-līlam uddhṛtaṁ sajyaṁ ca kṛtvā nimiṣeṇa paśyatām nṛṇāṁ vikṛṣya prababhañja madhyato yathekṣu-daṇḍaṁ mada-kary urukramaḥ

พระอุรุกฺรมะทรงยกคันธนูด้วยพระหัตถ์ซ้ายอย่างง่ายดาย แล้วขึงสายธนูในพริบตาต่อหน้าทหารยาม จากนั้นทรงดึงอย่างแรงจนคันธนูหักกลาง ราวช้างตกมันหักลำอ้อย

करेणwith the hand
करेण:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootकर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन
वामेनleft
वामेन:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootवाम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier)
स-लीलम्playfully
स-लीलम्:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootलीला (प्रातिपदिक) + स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय-पूर्वक)
Formअव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
उद्धृतम्lifted up
उद्धृतम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeVerb
Rootउद्-√हृ (धातु)
Formक्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे कर्मविशेषणम्
सज्यम्strung (with the bowstring)
सज्यम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of धनुष् understood)
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)
कृत्वाhaving made/done
कृत्वा:
Kriyā (क्रिया; पूर्वकर्म)
TypeVerb
Root√कृ (धातु)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (prior action)
निमिषेणin a blink (of an eye)
निमिषेण:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootनिमिष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; काल-करण (time as instrument)
पश्यताम्of the onlookers
पश्यताम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeVerb
Root√पश् (धातु)
Formशतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle) ‘पश्यत्’; षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘of those who were watching’
नृणाम्of men/people
नृणाम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootनृ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन
विकृष्यhaving pulled (it) apart
विकृष्य:
Kriyā (क्रिया; पूर्वकर्म)
TypeVerb
Rootवि-√कृष् (धातु)
Formल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष अव्यय (gerund), ‘having pulled apart’
प्रबभञ्जbroke/shattered
प्रबभञ्ज:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-√भञ्ज् (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
मध्यतःfrom the middle
मध्यतः:
Apādāna (अपादान)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootमध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्यय (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त), अपादानार्थ/स्थानवाचक (from the middle)
यथाas/like
यथा:
Upamāna (उपमान/marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा (अव्यय)
Formउपमानवाचक अव्यय (comparative particle)
इक्षु-दण्डम्a sugarcane stalk
इक्षु-दण्डम्:
Upamāna (उपमान)
TypeNoun
Rootइक्षु (प्रातिपदिक) + दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (इक्षोः दण्डः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन
मद-करिthe rutting elephant (metaphor)
मद-करि:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमद (प्रातिपदिक) + करिन्/करि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय (मदेन युक्तः करिः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; उरुक्रमस्य विशेषणम्
उरुक्रमःUrukrama (the Lord of mighty strides)
उरुक्रमः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootउरु (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formबहुव्रीहि (उरवः क्रमाः यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन
Ś
Śrī Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

This verse describes how Śrī Kṛṣṇa effortlessly lifted the royal bow, strung it instantly, and snapped it in the middle, revealing His divine supremacy during His Mathurā līlā.

In the narrative, Kṛṣṇa’s breaking of the bow publicly challenged Kaṁsa’s authority, displayed the Lord’s irresistible power, and set in motion the events leading to Kaṁsa’s downfall.

The verse teaches steadiness and faith: what seems impossible becomes possible when aligned with dharma and devotion—act decisively without fear, remembering the Lord’s supreme control.