Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 9.15.34
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesThe King’s Strength Cannot Prevail
“When his arrows were cut to pieces, Kārtavīryārjuna uprooted many trees and hills with his own hands and again rushed strongly toward Lord Paraśurāma to kill him. But Paraśurāma then used his axe with great force to cut off Kārtavīryārjuna’s arms, just as one might lop off the hoods of a serpent.”
What the purport teaches
- After his arrows were destroyed, Kārtavīryārjuna uprooted many trees and hills with his own hands.
- He again rushed forcefully toward Lord Paraśurāma, intending to kill him.
- Paraśurāma used his axe with great force to cut off the king’s arms. The action is compared to cutting off a serpent’s hoods.
Try this today
Write one sentence describing how the king’s renewed attack ended.
Ask yourself
What does the outcome show about the limits of Kārtavīryārjuna’s extraordinary strength?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.