Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 18

The Slaying of Hiraṇyākṣa and the Triumph of Varāha

Devanagari script

प्रववुर्वायवश्चण्डास्तम: पांसवमैरयन् । दिग्भ्यो निपेतुर्ग्रावाण: क्षेपणै: प्रहिता इव ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

pravavur vāyavaś caṇḍās tamaḥ pāṁsavam airayan digbhyo nipetur grāvāṇaḥ kṣepaṇaiḥ prahitā iva

Translation

ہر طرف سے تیز ہوائیں چلنے لگیں، دھول اور اولوں کے طوفان سے اندھیرا چھا گیا؛ پتھر ہر کونے سے اس طرح گرنے لگے جیسے مشینوں سے پھینکے گئے ہوں۔

Synonyms

• pravavuḥ: blew forth
• pravavuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√vā (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vāyavaḥ: winds
• vāyavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• caṇḍāḥ: fierce
• caṇḍāḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adjective, Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifies vāyavaḥ

• tamaḥ: darkness
• tamaḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• pāṁsavam: dusty, full of dust
• pāṁsavam: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāṁsava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adjective, Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies tamaḥ

• airayan: stirred up, raised
• airayan: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√īr (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• digbhyaḥ: from the directions
• digbhyaḥ: Apādāna (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• nipetuḥ: fell down
• nipetuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√pat (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• grāvāṇaḥ: stones, boulders
• grāvāṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grāvan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• kṣepaṇaiḥ: by throwings, by missiles
• kṣepaṇaiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣepaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• prahitāḥ: sent forth, hurled
• prahitāḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√hi (धातु) + ta (क्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); agrees with grāvāṇaḥ

• iva: as if, like
• iva: Upamā (उपमा/Comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, simile particle (उपमा-वाचक)

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Varāha
• Hiraṇyākṣa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about omens during Lord Varaha’s battle?

This verse describes violent winds, dust-darkness, and stones falling from all directions—portents of intense cosmic upheaval as the Lord confronts a powerful demon.

Why are stones described as falling ‘as if hurled by engines of war’ in Canto 3?

Śukadeva uses a vivid comparison to convey the scale and force of the disturbance—like a battlefield where missiles are launched—highlighting the ferocity surrounding Varāha’s combat with Hiraṇyākṣa.

Practical application: what can a devotee learn from these frightening battle descriptions?

Even when the world feels turbulent and dark, the Bhagavatam reminds us that the Lord actively protects dharma; devotees can cultivate steadiness and faith amid upheaval.