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

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Canto 9 · Liberation · 24 chapters

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How to study this verse, in six steps

1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.

Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›

Canto 9 · Chapter 15: Paraśurāma, the Lord’s Warrior Incarnation

9.15.31 9.15.33

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 9.15.32

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees

Who is speaking and story frame

Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 9.15.17-19inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

द‍ृष्ट्वा स्वसैन्यं रुधिरौघकर्दमे

रणाजिरे रामकुठारसायकै: ।

विवृक्णवर्मध्वजचापविग्रहं

निपातितं हैहय आपतद् रुषा ॥ ३२ ॥

dṛṣṭvā sva-sainyaṁ rudhiraugha-kardame

raṇājire rāma-kuṭhāra-sāyakaiḥ

vivṛkṇa-varma-dhvaja-cāpa-vigrahaṁ

nipātitaṁ haihaya āpatad ruṣā

Translation

By manipulating his axe and arrows, Lord Paraśurāma cut to pieces the shields, flags, bows and bodies of Kārtavīryārjuna’s soldiers, who fell on the battlefield, muddying the ground with their blood. Seeing these reverses, Kārtavīryārjuna, infuriated, rushed to the battlefield.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

This verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Defeat Provokes the King’s Anger

1
Lord Paraśurāma used his axe and arrows to cut apart the soldiers’ shields, flags, bows and bodies.
2
The soldiers fell, and their blood muddied the battlefield. The translation describes the devastating extent of their defeat.
3
Seeing these reverses, Kārtavīryārjuna became infuriated and rushed to the battlefield.

How it feels

Longing and conflict → Detachment and justice. Dynastic episodes explore personal desire and force.

Chapters 13–17 of Canto 9: Nimi, Purūravā and Paraśurāma. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Chapter 15: Paraśurāma, the Lord’s Warrior Incarnation

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

When a king named Kārtavīryārjuna stole Jamadagni’s desire cow, Paraśurāma, who is ascertained by learned experts to be a saktyāveśa incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, killed Kārtavīryārjuna. Later, he annihilated the kṣatriya dynasty twenty-one times.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in chapter 9.15