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Shloka 48

Bhṛgu Tests the Trimūrti; Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna Visit Mahā-Viṣṇu and Recover the Brāhmaṇa’s Sons

तत्राश्वा: शैब्यसुग्रीवमेघपुष्पबलाहका: । तमसि भ्रष्टगतयो बभूवुर्भरतर्षभ ॥ ४८ ॥ तान् द‍ृष्ट्वा भगवान् कृष्णो महायोगेश्वरेश्वर: । सहस्रादित्यसङ्काशं स्वचक्रं प्राहिणोत् पुर: ॥ ४९ ॥

tatrāśvāḥ śaibya-sugrīva- meghapuṣpa-balāhakāḥ tamasi bhraṣṭa-gatayo babhūvur bharatarṣabha

在那黑暗中,战车的骏马——舍伊毗耶、苏格利婆、梅伽普什帕与婆罗诃迦——迷失了方向,婆罗多族中的至杰者啊。见此情状,至上瑜伽诸主之主的世尊奎师那,将自身的苏达尔沙那神轮遣于车前;其光辉如千日齐照。

तत्रthere
तत्र:
अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative setting)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतत्र (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (indeclinable); देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)
अश्वाःhorses
अश्वाः:
कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootअश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st); बहुवचन (Plural)
शैब्य(named) Śaibya
शैब्य:
कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
TypeAdjective
Rootशैब्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; विशेषण (adjectival proper-name) अश्वानाम्
सुग्रीव(named) Sugrīva
सुग्रीव:
कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
TypeAdjective
Rootसुग्रीव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; विशेषण (proper-name) अश्वानाम्
मेघपुष्प(named) Meghapuṣpa
मेघपुष्प:
कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
TypeAdjective
Rootमेघपुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; विशेषण (proper-name) अश्वानाम्
बलाहकाः(named) Balāhaka
बलाहकाः:
कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
TypeAdjective
Rootबलाहक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; विशेषण (proper-name) अश्वानाम्
तमसिin darkness
तमसि:
अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
TypeNoun
Rootतमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th); एकवचन (Singular)
भ्रष्टगतयःhaving lost their way
भ्रष्टगतयः:
कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
TypeAdjective
Rootभ्रष्ट-गति (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्ताधारित)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; विशेषण अश्वानाम्; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गतेः भ्रष्टाः = whose course is lost)
बभूवुःbecame / were
बभूवुः:
क्रिया (Verb/Action)
TypeVerb
Rootभू (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); बहुवचन (Plural)
भरतर्षभO best of the Bharatas
भरतर्षभ:
सम्बोधन (Sambodhana/Vocative address)
TypeNoun
Rootभरत-ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative); एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भरतानाम् ऋषभः)

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī gives the following insight into this verse. Lord Kṛṣṇa’s horses had descended from Vaikuṇṭha to participate in His earthly pastimes. Since the Lord Himself was pretending to be a finite human being, His steeds now acted confused to enhance the drama of the situation for all who would one day hear this pastime.

P
Parīkṣit Mahārāja
Ś
Śaibya
S
Sugrīva
M
Megha
P
Puṣpa
B
Balāhaka

FAQs

This verse describes how even powerful horses lost their direction in deep darkness, highlighting how material conditions can bewilder the senses without higher guidance.

Śukadeva uses “O best of the Bharatas” to honor Parīkṣit’s noble lineage and attentiveness while narrating the unfolding events of Kṛṣṇa’s pastime.

When the mind feels “dark” or confused, seek steady guidance—scripture, sādhus, and bhakti practices—rather than trusting disoriented senses alone.