Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 20

Jarāsandha’s Siege of Mathurā, Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma’s Victory, and the Founding of Dvārakā amid Kālayavana’s Threat

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच जरासुतस्तावभिसृत्य माधवौ महाबलौघेन बलीयसावृणोत् । ससैन्ययानध्वजवाजिसारथी सूर्यानलौ वायुरिवाभ्ररेणुभि: ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca jarā-sutas tāv abhisṛtya mādhavau mahā-balaughena balīyasāvṛnot sa-sainya-yāna-dhvaja-vāji-sārathī sūryānalau vāyur ivābhra-reṇubhiḥ

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī nói: Con trai của Jarā dẫn đoàn quân hùng hậu tiến đến hai hậu duệ của Madhu, và với thế lực vượt trội đã vây quanh Các Ngài cùng binh sĩ, chiến xa, cờ xí, ngựa và người đánh xe. Như gió che mặt trời bằng mây hay phủ lửa bằng bụi, hắn đã bao trùm như thế.

Synonyms

• श्री-शुकः: Śrī Śuka
• श्री-शुकः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + शुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: ‘श्रीमान् शुकः’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• जरासुतः: the son of Jarā (Jarāsandha)
• जरासुतः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जरा (प्रातिपदिक) + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘जरायाः सुतः’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तौ: those two
• तौ: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), द्विवचन

• अभिसृत्य: having approached
• अभिसृत्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि+सृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/क्त्वा): ‘having approached’

• माधवौ: Mādhava and (his companion) (the two: Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma)
• माधवौ: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन (dual)

• महाबलौघेन: with a great flood/mass of forces
• महाबलौघेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक) + ओघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: ‘महान् बलानाम् ओघः’; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• बलीयसा: by the stronger (army)
• बलीयसा: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन; तुलनात्मक-प्रयोग (comparative sense): ‘by the stronger (force)’

• आवृणोत्: covered/surrounded
• आवृणोत्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+वृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स-सैन्य-यान-ध्वज-वाजि-सारथी: accompanied by army, vehicles, flags, horses and charioteers
• स-सैन्य-यान-ध्वज-वाजि-सारथी: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ ‘with’) + सैन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + यान (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक) + वाजि (प्रातिपदिक) + सारथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (समाहार/सहितार्थ): ‘with army, vehicles, flags, horses, charioteers’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Jarāsuta-विशेषण)

• सूर्य-अनलौ: the sun and fire
• सूर्य-अनलौ: उपमान (Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अनल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व: ‘सूर्यश्च अनलश्च’; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन (उपमान/compared-to)

• वायुः: wind
• वायुः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (Simile marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमार्थक-अव्यय (simile particle)

• अभ्र-रेणुभिः: with dust-clouds
• अभ्र-रेणुभिः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्र (प्रातिपदिक) + रेणु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: ‘अभ्रस्य रेणवः’ (cloud-dust); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

Purport

Ācārya Śrīdhara points out that clouds only seem to cover the sun: the sun remains shining in the vast sky. Nor is the potency of fire affected by a thin covering of dust. Similarly, the “covering” of Jarāsandha’s military strength was only apparent.

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Jarāsandha’s son (Kālayavana)
• Kṛṣṇa
• Balarāma

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam 10.50.20 describe about Kālayavana’s attack?

It describes Jarāsandha’s son (Kālayavana) rushing toward Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma and surrounding Them with a huge, powerful military force, compared to wind covering the sun and fire with clouds and dust.

Why are Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma called “the two Mādhavas” in this verse?

“Mādhava” is a name of the Lord connected with Lakṣmī (Mā) and the Madhu dynasty; here it poetically refers to the divine brothers Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma as the supreme protectors of the Yadus.

Practical application: what does this verse teach when problems feel overwhelming?

Even when difficulties surround us like dust and clouds, the Bhagavatam reminds devotees to keep faith in the Lord’s protection and guidance, trusting that divine intelligence can dispel what seems impossible to overcome.