Shloka 10

Kṛṣṇa Slays Kuvalayāpīḍa and Enters Kaṁsa’s Wrestling Arena

Devanagari script

ततोऽभिमुखमभ्येत्य पाणिनाहत्य वारणम् । प्राद्रवन् पातयामास स्पृश्यमान: पदे पदे ॥ १० ॥

Transliteration

tato ’bhimakham abhyetya pāṇināhatya vāraṇam prādravan pātayām āsa spṛśyamānaḥ pade pade

Translation

แล้วพระกฤษณะเสด็จเข้าประจันหน้า ตบช้างด้วยพระหัตถ์แล้ววิ่งหนี กุวลยาปีฑะไล่ตามราวกับแตะต้องได้ทุกย่างก้าว แต่พระกฤษณะทรงหลบหลีกอย่างชาญฉลาดจนช้างสะดุดล้มลง

Synonyms

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/अनन्तरार्थक (then/thereupon)

• अभिमुखम्: towards (him), facing
• अभिमुखम्: Gati/Direction (गति/दिशा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अभिमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन (adverbial accusative)

• अभ्येत्य: having come near/approached
• अभ्येत्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having approached’

• पाणिना: with the hand
• पाणिना: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• आहत्य: having struck
• आहत्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having struck’

• वारणम्: the elephant
• वारणम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• प्राद्रवत्: ran forth
• प्राद्रवत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√द्रु (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect/past); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• पातयामास: caused (him) to fall / felled
• पातयामास: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु) → पातय (णिच् causative) + आस् (धातु)
• Form: णिजन्त-धातु ‘पातयति’ + लिट्/लङ्-सदृश परिप्रयोग ‘आस’ (periphrastic perfect); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• स्पृश्यमानः: being touched
• स्पृश्यमानः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु) → स्पृश्यमान (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present passive participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषण (qualifying the subject)

• पदे: at (each) step
• पदे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे (locative used adverbially)

• पदे: step by step
• पदे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (reduplication for distributive sense)

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Kuvalayāpīḍa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna defeating Kuvalayapida?

In this verse, Śukadeva describes Kṛṣṇa confronting the elephant directly and striking it with His hand, causing it to stumble and fall repeatedly—showing Kṛṣṇa’s effortless supremacy before the Kaṁsa-līlā climax.

Why did Krishna approach the elephant head-on in Mathura?

Kuvalayāpīḍa was placed as an obstacle by Kaṁsa; Kṛṣṇa’s direct approach displays His fearlessness and His intent to remove every barrier before confronting Kaṁsa.

What is the practical application of this shloka in modern life?

Face obstacles without hesitation and with steadiness; when one takes shelter of the Lord (or acts in dharma with courage), even overwhelming challenges lose their power step by step.