Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 21

Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi and the Lord’s Unlimited Incarnations

Devanagari script

नि:क्षत्रियामकृत गां च त्रि:सप्तकृत्वो रामस्तु हैहयकुलाप्ययभार्गवाग्नि: । सोऽब्धिं बबन्ध दशवक्त्रमहन् सलङ्कं सीतापतिर्जयति लोकमलघ्नकीर्ति: ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

niḥkṣatriyām akṛta gāṁ ca triḥ-sapta-kṛtvo rāmas tu haihaya-kulāpyaya-bhārgavāgniḥ so ’bdhiṁ babandha daśa-vaktram ahan sa-laṅkaṁ sītā-patir jayati loka-mala-ghna-kīṛtiḥ

Translation

主在婆利古族中以火焰般的帕拉修罗摩示现，焚尽海诃耶王族；因此他二十一度使大地无有刹帝利。那同一位主又以悉多天女之夫罗摩旃陀罗示现：他筑桥缚海，诛灭十首罗波那及楞迦诸军。愿那以圣名功德涤除世间垢染的圣罗摩，恒常得胜。

Synonyms

• niḥ-kṣatriyām: without kṣatriyas
• niḥ-kṣatriyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nis (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + kṣatriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; predicate adjective to gām — “devoid of kṣatriyas”

• akṛt: made
• akṛt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (Aorist/लुङ्), Parasmaipada; 3rd Person, Singular

• gām: the earth
• gām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय)

• triḥ-sapta-kṛtvaḥ: twenty-one times
• triḥ-sapta-kṛtvaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: triḥ (अव्यय) + sapta (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛtvas (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययार्थ)
• Form: Avyayībhāva/adverbial expression meaning frequency; “three times seven times” (=21 times)

• rāmaḥ: Rāma (Paraśurāma)
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (Paraśurāma intended)

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (विरोध/विशेष-बोधक अव्यय)

• haihaya-kula-apyaya-bhārgava-agniḥ: the Bhārgava-fire that destroyed the Haihayas
• haihaya-kula-apyaya-bhārgava-agniḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haihaya (प्रातिपदिक) + kula (प्रातिपदिक) + apyaya (प्रातिपदिक) + bhārgava (प्रातिपदिक) + agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi epithet: “he whose (nature is) Bhārgava-fire causing the destruction (apyaya) of the Haihaya clan”; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; apposition to rāmaḥ

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• abdhim: the ocean
• abdhim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abdhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• babandha: bound (bridged)
• babandha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bandh (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (Perfect/लिट्), Parasmaipada; 3rd Person, Singular

• daśa-vaktram: the ten-faced one (Rāvaṇa)
• daśa-vaktram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक) + vaktra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya “ten-faced”; Masculine, Accusative, Singular (Rāvaṇa)

• ahan: slew
• ahan: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (Aorist/लुङ्), Parasmaipada; 3rd Person, Singular

• sa-laṅkam: together with Laṅkā
• sa-laṅkam: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ) + laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Indeclinable prefix “sa-” = “with”; Neuter/masculine accusative singular used adverbially with object: “together with Laṅkā”

• sītā-patiḥ: Sītā’s husband
• sītā-patiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (सीतायाः पतिः); Masculine, Nominative, Singular (Rāmacandra)

• jayati: is victorious
• jayati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ji (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present/लट्), Parasmaipada; 3rd Person, Singular

• loka-mala-ghna-kīrtiḥ: whose fame destroys the world’s impurity
• loka-mala-ghna-kīrtiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक) + mala (प्रातिपदिक) + ghna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक from han) + kīrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi: “he whose fame destroys the impurity of the world”; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; epithet of sītā-patiḥ

Purport

According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, Lord Rāmacandra was more or less a contemporary incarnation for the nine Yogendras. Thus they have offered particular respect to Lord Rāmacandra, as indicated by the word jayati.

Characters & Entities

• Parashurama (Bhargava Rama)
• Rama (Sita-pati, Ramachandra)
• Ravana (Dasha-vaktra)
• Sita
• Haihaya dynasty

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Lord Rama and Parashurama?

This verse glorifies both Bhārgava Rāma (Paraśurāma), who eradicated oppressive kṣatriyas and destroyed the Haihayas, and Sītā-pati Rāma (Rāmacandra), who bridged the ocean and killed Rāvaṇa—affirming their divine victories and purifying fame.

Why is Lord Rama’s fame described as purifying in the Bhagavatam?

The verse states that His kīrti (glory) is “mala-ghna,” destroying impurity; hearing and remembering His deeds cleanses the heart and uplifts the worlds through devotion.

How can a devotee apply this teaching in modern life?

Regularly hear, chant, and remember the Lord’s līlās—especially Rāma’s righteous courage and protection—using His purified fame as a practical means to reduce inner negativity and strengthen dharmic living.