Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 21

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

Devanagari script

सुपर्णतालध्वजचिह्नितौ रथा- वलक्षयन्त्यो हरिरामयोर्मृधे । स्‍त्रिय: पुराट्टालकहर्म्यगोपुरं समाश्रिता: सम्मुमुहु: शुचार्दिता: ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

suparṇa-tāla-dhvaja-cihitnau rathāv alakṣayantyo hari-rāmayor mṛdhe striyaḥ purāṭṭālaka-harmya-gopuraṁ samāśritāḥ sammumuhuḥ śucārditaḥ

Translation

妇女们站在城中的瞭望楼、宫殿与高门之上；当她们再也看不见战场上那以迦楼罗与棕榈树徽记为旗的黑天与巴拉罗摩之战车时，悲痛袭来，竟相继昏厥。

Synonyms

• सुपर्ण-ताल-ध्वज-चिह्नितौ: marked with the Garuḍa and palm-tree banners
• सुपर्ण-ताल-ध्वज-चिह्नितौ: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुपर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + ताल (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक) + चिह्नित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘सुपर्ण-ताल-ध्वजैः चिह्नितौ’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन (रथौ-विशेषण)

• रथौ: the two chariots
• रथौ: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• अलक्षयन्त्यः: (the women) seeing
• अलक्षयन्त्यः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अ+लक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘seeing/observing’

• हरि-रामयोः: of Hari and Rāma
• हरि-रामयोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक) + राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व (समाहार): ‘हरिश्च रामश्च’; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, द्विवचन

• मृधे: in the battle
• मृधे: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृध्/मृध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• स्त्रियः: women
• स्त्रियः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• पुरा: formerly/at that time
• पुरा: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• अट्टालक-हर्म्य-गोपुरम्: the watchtowers, mansions, and city-gates
• अट्टालक-हर्म्य-गोपुरम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अट्टालक (प्रातिपदिक) + हर्म्य (प्रातिपदिक) + गोपुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व (समाहार): ‘अट्टालकं च हर्म्यं च गोपुरं च’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (समाहार-द्वन्द्व)

• समाश्रिताः: having taken shelter (standing on)
• समाश्रिताः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+आ+श्रि (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (स्त्रियः हेतु) ‘having taken shelter/standing upon’

• सम्मुमुहुः: became bewildered/fainted
• सम्मुमुहुः: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+मुह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• शुच-आर्दिताः: afflicted by sorrow
• शुच-आर्दिताः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुच् (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्दित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: ‘शुचा आर्दिताः’ (afflicted by grief); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (स्त्रियः-विशेषण)

Purport

The women are especially mentioned here because of their extraordinary attachment to Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa (Hari)
• Balarāma (Rāma)
• Women of Mathurā

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about devotees feeling anxiety during Krishna’s pastimes?

This verse shows that even devoted onlookers, like the women of Mathurā, can feel intense fear and sorrow when Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma enter danger—love for the Lord naturally brings deep concern and emotional absorption.

Why were the women of Mathurā watching Krishna and Balarama from palaces and city gates?

As Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma went out to face battle, the women gathered on high vantage points—attics, terraces, and gates—to see Them, but grief and fear for Their safety overwhelmed them.

Practical application of this shloka in modern life?

It teaches that devotion is not merely intellectual—real love expresses itself as heartfelt concern and remembrance; channel such emotion into steady hearing, chanting, and prayer rather than anxiety alone.