Shloka 16

Aghāsura-vadha: The Killing and Deliverance of Aghāsura

Devanagari script

इति व्यवस्याजगरं बृहद् वपु: स योजनायाममहाद्रिपीवरम् । धृत्वाद्भ‍ुतं व्यात्तगुहाननं तदा पथि व्यशेत ग्रसनाशया खल: ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

iti vyavasyājagaraṁ bṛhad vapuḥ sa yojanāyāma-mahādri-pīvaram dhṛtvādbhutaṁ vyātta-guhānanaṁ tadā pathi vyaśeta grasanāśayā khalaḥ

Translation

یہ فیصلہ کر کے اس بدکار نے ایک بہت بڑے اژدھے کی شکل اختیار کی، جو پہاڑ جیسا موٹا اور آٹھ میل لمبا تھا۔ وہ غار جیسا منہ کھول کر راستے میں لیٹ گیا۔

Synonyms

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; quotative particle

• vyavasya: having decided
• vyavasya: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (पूर्वकालिक क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vi-ava-√sā (सा धातु) + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: Gerund (ल्यप्/त्वान्त-समकक्ष), avyaya; ‘having resolved/decided’

• ajagaram: a python-like form
• ajagaram: Karma (कर्म/object of dhṛtvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ajagara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular

• bṛhat: huge
• bṛhat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of vapuḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bṛhat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; agrees with vapuḥ

• vapuḥ: body, form
• vapuḥ: Karma (कर्म/object of dhṛtvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vapus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• yojanāyāma-mahādri-pīvaram: a yojana long, mountain-like massive
• yojanāyāma-mahādri-pīvaram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of vapuḥ/ajagaram)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yojanāyāma + mahā-adri + pīvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘योजन-आयामः महाद्रिवत् पīवरः’ (as huge as a great mountain, a yojana in length)

• dhṛtvā: having assumed
• dhṛtvā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (पूर्वकालिक क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √dhṛ (धृ धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वान्त), avyaya; ‘having assumed/taken’

• adbhutam: wonderful, astonishing
• adbhutam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adbhuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; agrees with vapuḥ

• vyātta-guhā-ānanam: with a cave-like gaping mouth
• vyātta-guhā-ānanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of vapuḥ/ajagaram)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vyātta (√yam, यम् धातु; क्त, with vi-ā) + guhā + ānana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; तत्पुरुषः—‘गुहावत् आननं व्यात्तम्’ (mouth gaping like a cave)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; temporal adverb

• pathi: on the path
• pathi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pathin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular

• vyaśeta: lay down
• vyaśeta: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ā-√śī (शी धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्, aorist), Ātmanepada, Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Singular; ‘lay down’

• grasana-āśayā: with the intention of swallowing
• grasana-āśayā: Hetu (हेतु/cause-motive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grasana (√gras, ग्रस् धातु; ल्युट्) + āśā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular; तत्पुरुषः—‘ग्रसनस्य आशया’ (with the desire to swallow)

• khalaḥ: the wicked one
• khalaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/apposition to saḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Balarāma
• Vraja-gopāḥ (cowherd boys)
• Aghāsura (implied)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Aghasura and his plan to kill Krishna’s friends?

This verse describes the demon’s strategy: he takes a gigantic python-like form, lies across the path with a cave-like mouth open, intending to swallow Kṛṣṇa and the cowherd boys.

Why is the demon described as having a ‘cave-like mouth’ in Bhagavatam 10.12.16?

To emphasize the terrifying scale of the asura’s deception—his mouth is so vast it resembles a mountain cave, making the trap appear like a natural opening on the path.

Practical application: what lesson does this shloka give for modern life?

Danger can appear “normal” and inviting, like a path-side opening; the verse encourages vigilance and reliance on Kṛṣṇa’s protection when facing deceptive, harmful influences.