Home›Srimad Bhagavatam›Navama Skandha›Adhyaya 9›Shloka 4
←Previous Verse
Next Verse→

Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 4

Bhagīratha Brings Gaṅgā; Saudāsa’s Curse; Khaṭvāṅga’s Instant Renunciation

Devanagari script

कोऽपि धारयिता वेगं पतन्त्या मे महीतले । अन्यथा भूतलं भित्त्वा नृप यास्ये रसातलम् ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

ko ’pi dhārayitā vegaṁ patantyā me mahī-tale anyathā bhū-talaṁ bhittvā nṛpa yāsye rasātalam

Translation

恒河母神答道：我自天界坠落到大地时，水势必定极其猛烈。谁能承受这股冲力？若无人承托，国王啊，我将穿透地表，坠入罗娑多罗（Rasātala）。

Synonyms
कःwho
कः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootक (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; interrogative pronoun
अपिeven; at all; any
अपि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात/particle (emphasis: ‘even/any’)
धारयिताa holder; one who can sustain
धारयिता:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
TypeNoun
Rootधृ (धातु) + तृ (तृन्-प्रत्यय)
Formकर्तृ-नाम (agent noun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; future/intentive sense ‘one who will hold’
वेगम्the force; speed; rush
वेगम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootवेग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
पतन्त्याःof (her) who is falling
पतन्त्याः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeAdjective
Rootपत् (धातु) + शतृ (वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
Formवर्तमान-कर्तरि-शतृ-प्रत्यय; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; agreeing with implied ‘गङ्गा’
मेmy
मे:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; enclitic pronoun
महीतलेon the surface of the earth
महीतले:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
TypeNoun
Rootमही-तल (प्रातिपदिक); मही + तल
Formसप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (मही-तल = ‘earth-surface’)
अन्यथाotherwise
अन्यथा:
Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअन्यथा (अव्यय)
Formक्रियाविशेषण/adverb (‘otherwise’)
भूतलम्the ground; earth’s surface
भूतलम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootभू-तल (प्रातिपदिक); भू + तल
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (‘earth-surface/ground’)
भित्त्वाhaving pierced; having broken through
भित्त्वा:
Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया/Absolutive)
TypeVerb
Rootभिद् (धातु)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund), ‘having split/broken’
नृपO king
नृप:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
TypeNoun
Rootनृप (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन
यास्येI shall go
यास्ये:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeVerb
Rootया (धातु)
Formलृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
रसातलम्to Rasātala (netherworld)
रसातलम्:
Karma (कर्म/Goal as object of motion)
TypeNoun
Rootरसातल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (रसा + तल)
Characters & Entities
G
Gaṅgā
S
Sagara (nṛpa)

FAQs

This verse depicts Gaṅgā’s descent as overwhelmingly forceful—so powerful that without a capable supporter, her fall could split the earth and carry her into Rasātala.

She warns the king that her divine current cannot simply be dropped onto the earth; a powerful being must first bear and regulate her descent so the world is not harmed.

Even sacred power needs proper guidance and containment—like knowledge, emotion, or leadership—so it benefits others instead of causing damage.

←Previous Verse
Next Verse→