Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 10

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

Devanagari script

अन्योऽपि धर्मरक्षायै देह: संभ्रियते मया । विरामायाप्यधर्मस्य काले प्रभवत: क्व‍‍चित् ॥ १० ॥

Transliteration

anyo ’pi dharma-rakṣāyai dehaḥ saṁbhriyate mayā virāmāyāpy adharmasya kāle prabhavataḥ kvacit

Translation

为护持正法，我亦示现种种身相；当不法随时流而滋长之际，我便出现以令其止息。

Synonyms

• anyaḥ: another
• anyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् to देहः

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle): also/even

• dharma-rakṣāyai: for protection of dharma
• dharma-rakṣāyai: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + rakṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: धर्मस्य रक्षा

• dehaḥ: body
• dehaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• saṁbhriyate: is assumed/borne
• saṁbhriyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-bhṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• virāmāya: for cessation
• virāmāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: virāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle): also/even

• adharmasya: of adharma
• adharmasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• kāle: at the time
• kāle: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• prabhavataḥ: of (its) arising/prevailing
• prabhavataḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-bhavat (प्रातिपदिक; present participle stem)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचन; विशेषणम् to अधर्मस्य (of the arising/prevailing)

• kvacit: sometimes
• kvacit: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kvacit (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/काल-अव्यय (adverb): sometimes/at some time

Characters & Entities

• Krishna

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about why Krishna appears to protect dharma?

This verse states that the Lord assumes a form specifically to protect dharma and to stop adharma when it becomes dominant in time.

Why did Krishna say this in Canto 10 Chapter 50?

In the context of the Jarāsandha episode and the unfolding of divine strategy, Kṛṣṇa explains the divine purpose behind His manifestations—restoring dharma whenever adharma rises.

How can I apply this teaching about dharma and adharma in modern life?

Support dharma by choosing truthfulness, compassion, and devotion in daily decisions, and reduce adharma by resisting harmful habits and encouraging righteous conduct in your community.