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Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
  2. 2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
  3. 3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
  4. 4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
  5. 5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
  6. 6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.
Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›
Canto 1 · Chapter 7: The Son of Droṇa Punished
1.7.171.7.19

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 1.7.18

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Sūta Gosvāmīsince 1.7.12inside 1 frame: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

तमापतन्तं स विलक्ष्य दूरात्

कुमारहोद्विग्नमना रथेन ।

पराद्रवत्प्राणपरीप्सुरुर्व्यां

यावद्गमं रुद्रभयाद्यथा क: ॥ १८ ॥

tam āpatantaṁ sa vilakṣya dūrāt

kumāra-hodvigna-manā rathena

parādravat prāṇa-parīpsur urvyāṁ

yāvad-gamaṁ rudra-bhayād yathā kaḥ

Translation

Aśvatthāmā, the murderer of the princes, seeing from a great distance Arjuna coming at him with great speed, fled in his chariot, panic stricken, just to save his life, as Brahmā fled in fear from Śiva.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Aśvatthāmā Flees in Fear

  1. 1

    Aśvatthāmā, the murderer of the princes, sees Arjuna approaching rapidly and flees to save his life.

  2. 2

    The purport explains that the reading kaḥ refers to Brahmā, who fled when Śiva attacked him with his trident.

  3. 3

    The alternative reading arkaḥ refers to the sun-god. The Vāmana Purāṇa describes his flight from Śiva and his fall at Kāśī.

Key points from the purport
  • Kaḥ means Brahmā, who once became allured by his daughter and began to follow her, which infuriated Śiva, who attacked Brahmā with his trident.
  • Thus the sun-god became angry, and with his virulent rays he melted the plane.
  • Lord Śiva then attacked the sun-god, who fled away and at last fell down at Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), and the place became famous as Lolārka.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

How it feels

Grief → Trust. Violence and bereavement make Kṛṣṇa's protective presence precious.

Chapters 7–9 of Canto 1: Postwar anguish, Kuntī and Bhīṣma. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 7: The Son of Droṇa Punished

Vyāsadeva compiles Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam; Arjuna captures Aśvatthāmā, and Kṛṣṇa addresses the question of his punishment.

Back to this verse in chapter 1.7
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. tamhim
  2. āpatantamcoming over furiously
  3. saḥhe
  4. vilakṣyaseeing
  5. dūrātfrom a distance
  6. kumāra-hāthe murderer of the princes
  7. udvigna-manāḥdisturbed in mind
  8. rathenaon the chariot
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Īśānukathā · The science of God

    Who is the Lord, and how do His devotees live? · Subject 7 of 10

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 1.7

    In this verse: “fear”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does Aśvatthāmā’s panic reveal about his condition at this moment?

Practice

Reread the translation and identify what Aśvatthāmā fears and what he wants to protect.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

His recorded lectures on this verse, and the talks where he quotes it.

1 lecture given on it. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Live this todayAśvatthāmā Flees in FearThis verse's lesson: one practice and one question for today

Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.

Ask the BhāgavatamHave a question about SB 1.7.18? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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