Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 33

The Disappearance of the Yadu Dynasty and Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Departure

Devanagari script

मुषलावशेषाय:खण्डकृतेषुर्लुब्धको जरा । मृगास्याकारं तच्चरणं विव्याध मृगशङ्कया ॥ ३३ ॥

Transliteration

muṣalāvaśeṣāyaḥ-khaṇḍa- kṛteṣur lubdhako jarā mṛgāsyākāraṁ tac-caraṇaṁ vivyādha mṛga-śaṅkayā

Translation

ขณะนั้นเอง นายพรานชื่อชราเข้ามาใกล้ ด้วยความหลงคิดว่าเป็นกวาง เขาเข้าใจพระบาทของพระผู้เป็นเจ้าเป็นหน้ากวาง และคิดว่าได้เหยื่อแล้ว จึงยิงลูกศรที่ทำจากเศษเหล็กที่เหลือจากกระบองของสามพะ ทะลุพระบาทนั้น

Synonyms

• muṣala-avaśeṣa: the remnant of the club
• muṣala-avaśeṣa: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muṣala + avaśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मुषलस्य अवशेषः); प्रथमा एकवचन (समासपदम्, विशेषण-रूपेण)

• ayaḥ-khaṇḍa: an iron fragment
• ayaḥ-khaṇḍa: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ayas + khaṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अयसः खण्डम्); प्रथमा एकवचन (समासपदम्, विशेषण-रूपेण)

• kṛta-iṣuḥ: one who had made an arrow
• kṛta-iṣuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + iṣu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिवत् प्रयोगः; कृत (क्त/PPP) + इषु; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; अर्थः ‘येन इषुः कृतः/निर्मितः’

• lubdhakaḥ: the hunter
• lubdhakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lubdhaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• jarā: Jara (name)
• jarā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jarā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम (hunter’s name)

• mṛga-āsya-ākāram: having the appearance of a deer’s face
• mṛga-āsya-ākāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛga + āsya + ākāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (मृगस्य आस्यम् इव आकारः)

• tat-caraṇam: that foot
• tat-caraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + caraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (तस्य चरणम्)

• vivyādha: pierced, wounded
• vivyādha: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vyadh (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), परस्मैपदी; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• mṛga-śaṅkayā: due to mistaking (it) for a deer
• mṛga-śaṅkayā: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga + śaṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण/हेतु), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (मृगस्य शङ्का = मृग-भ्रमः)

Purport

According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, the statement that the arrow “pierced the Lord’s foot” expresses the point of view of the hunter, who thought he had struck a deer. In fact the arrow merely touched the Lord’s lotus foot and did not pierce it, since the Lord’s limbs are composed of eternity, knowledge and bliss. Otherwise, in the description of the next verse (that the hunter became fearful and fell down with his head upon the Lord’s feet), Śukadeva Gosvāmī would have stated that he extracted his arrow from the Lord’s foot.

Characters & Entities

• Jarā (the hunter)
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the Lord)

FAQs

How did Lord Krishna get struck by the hunter Jara in Srimad Bhagavatam?

In Bhagavatam 11.30.33, the hunter Jarā mistakes the Lord’s foot—appearing like a deer’s face—for a deer and pierces it with an arrow tipped with a remaining fragment of a club.

Why did the hunter Jara shoot Krishna according to the Bhagavata Purana?

He did so out of misidentification (mṛga-śaṅkā): seeing the Lord’s foot resembling a deer, he assumed it was a deer and shot, unaware of the Lord’s identity.

What is the practical spiritual lesson from Krishna’s disappearance pastime in 11.30.33?

The verse highlights the Lord’s sovereignty: even seemingly accidental events unfold under divine arrangement, reminding devotees to cultivate faith, humility, and remembrance of Krishna beyond external appearances.