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Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 20

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

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

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

舒迦提婆·高斯瓦弥说:阇罗之子率领浩大军阵逼近两位摩度后裔,以更强之势将他们连同士卒、战车、旗帜、骏马与御者一并包围。正如风以云遮日、以尘覆火,他也如此遮蔽了他们。

श्री-शुकःŚrī Śuka
श्री-शुकः:
कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootश्री (प्रातिपदिक) + शुक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय: ‘श्रीमान् शुकः’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
जरासुतःthe son of Jarā (Jarāsandha)
जरासुतः:
कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootजरा (प्रातिपदिक) + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘जरायाः सुतः’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
तौthose two
तौ:
कर्म (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), द्विवचन
अभिसृत्यhaving approached
अभिसृत्य:
पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
TypeVerb
Rootअभि+सृ (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/क्त्वा): ‘having approached’
माधवौMādhava and (his companion) (the two: Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma)
माधवौ:
कर्म (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमाधव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन (dual)
महाबलौघेनwith a great flood/mass of forces
महाबलौघेन:
करण (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootमहा (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक) + ओघ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष: ‘महान् बलानाम् ओघः’; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन
बलीयसाby the stronger (army)
बलीयसा:
करण (Instrument/करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootबलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतृतीया, एकवचन; तुलनात्मक-प्रयोग (comparative sense): ‘by the stronger (force)’
आवृणोत्covered/surrounded
आवृणोत्:
क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootआ+वृ (धातु)
Formलङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
स-सैन्य-यान-ध्वज-वाजि-सारथीaccompanied by army, vehicles, flags, horses and charioteers
स-सैन्य-यान-ध्वज-वाजि-सारथी:
कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
TypeAdjective
Rootस (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ ‘with’) + सैन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + यान (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक) + वाजि (प्रातिपदिक) + सारथि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formबहुपद-तत्पुरुष (समाहार/सहितार्थ): ‘with army, vehicles, flags, horses, charioteers’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Jarāsuta-विशेषण)
सूर्य-अनलौthe sun and fire
सूर्य-अनलौ:
उपमान (Standard of comparison)
TypeNoun
Rootसूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अनल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formद्वन्द्व: ‘सूर्यश्च अनलश्च’; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन (उपमान/compared-to)
वायुःwind
वायुः:
कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootवायु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
इवlike
इव:
अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (Simile marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव (अव्यय)
Formउपमार्थक-अव्यय (simile particle)
अभ्र-रेणुभिःwith dust-clouds
अभ्र-रेणुभिः:
करण (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootअभ्र (प्रातिपदिक) + रेणु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष: ‘अभ्रस्य रेणवः’ (cloud-dust); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

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.

Ś
Śukadeva Gosvāmī
J
Jarāsandha’s son (Kālayavana)
K
Kṛṣṇa
B
Balarāma

FAQs

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.

“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.

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.