Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 8

Kṛṣṇa Leads Kālayavana to Mucukunda; The Yavana Is Burned; Mucukunda’s Prayers and Boon of Bhakti

Devanagari script

पलायनं यदुकुले जातस्य तव नोचितम् । इति क्षिपन्ननुगतो नैनं प्रापाहताशुभ: ॥ ८ ॥

Transliteration

palāyanaṁ yadu-kule jātasya tava nocitam iti kṣipann anugato nainaṁ prāpāhatāśubhaḥ

Translation

追逐之时，夜婆那人辱骂道：“你生于夜度族，怎可逃跑！”然而他仍追不上主，因为他的罪业果报尚未净除。

Synonyms

• पलायनम्: running away, flight
• पलायनम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of ‘not proper’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पलायन (प्रातिपदिक; √पलाय् + युच्/अन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; वाक्ये कर्तृवाच्ये ‘पलायनं ... नोचितम्’ (subject-like)

• यदु-कुले: in the Yadu dynasty
• यदु-कुले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यदु (प्रातिपदिक) + कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (यदूनां कुले)

• जातस्य: of (one) born
• जातस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जात (प्रातिपदिक; √जन् क्त)
• Form: क्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; विशेषण (तव)

• तव: of you
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• उचितम्: proper, fitting
• उचितम्: Vidhana (विधान/Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उचित (प्रातिपदिक; √वच्? ‘उचित’ = ‘proper’, PPP of √वच्/√उच् in usage)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्ति-अव्यय (quotative)

• क्षिपन्: taunting
• क्षिपन्: Karta (कर्ता/Agent-participle, referring to Yavana)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘taunting/abusing’

• अनुगतः: followed
• अनुगतः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + गम् (धातु; क्त)
• Form: क्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘followed’

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्राप: reached, caught
• प्राप: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अहत-अशुभः: whose ill fortune was not yet struck (still unpunished)
• अहत-अशुभः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अहत (प्रातिपदिक; √हन् क्त ‘unstruck/unharmed’) + अशुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (अहतम् अशुभं यस्य) विशेषण (अनुगतः/यवनः implied)

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Kālayavana

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna ‘running away’ from battle?

This verse shows that Kālayavana mocked Kṛṣṇa for retreating, but Kṛṣṇa’s movement is a divine strategy within His līlā, not ordinary fear; the pursuer could not capture Him.

Why did Kālayavana say this to Krishna in Canto 10 Chapter 51?

Kālayavana tried to shame Kṛṣṇa by invoking Yadu-kula honor and kṣatriya ideals, taunting Him while chasing Him, but his impious mentality led to failure.

Practical application of the concept of ‘ahata-śubha’ (destroyed piety) in modern life?

When arrogance and mockery drive our actions, we lose inner clarity and good fortune; cultivating humility and devotion protects one’s “śubha” and leads to wiser outcomes.