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Canto 9 · Liberation · 24 chapters

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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 9 · Chapter 15: Paraśurāma, the Lord’s Warrior Incarnation
9.15.329.15.34

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 9.15.33

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

अथार्जुन: पञ्चशतेषु बाहुभि-

र्धनु:षु बाणान् युगपत् स सन्दधे ।

रामाय रामोऽस्त्रभृतां समग्रणी-

स्तान्येकधन्वेषुभिराच्छिनत् समम् ॥ ३३ ॥

athārjunaḥ pañca-śateṣu bāhubhir

dhanuḥṣu bāṇān yugapat sa sandadhe

rāmāya rāmo ’stra-bhṛtāṁ samagraṇīs

tāny eka-dhanveṣubhir ācchinat samam

Translation

Then Kārtavīryārjuna, with his one thousand arms, simultaneously fixed arrows on five hundred bows to kill Lord Paraśurāma. But Lord Paraśurāma, the best of fighters, released enough arrows with only one bow to cut to pieces immediately all the arrows and bows in the hands of Kārtavīryārjuna.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

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

1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

One Bow Overcomes Five Hundred

  1. 1

    With his thousand arms, Kārtavīryārjuna simultaneously placed arrows on five hundred bows to kill Lord Paraśurāma.

  2. 2

    Lord Paraśurāma is described as the best of fighters. He faced this attack with only one bow.

  3. 3

    He immediately released enough arrows to cut apart all of Kārtavīryārjuna’s arrows and bows. The king’s greater number of weapons could not overcome him.

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

Further reading

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 summaryBack to this verse in chapter 9.15
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. athathereafter
  2. arjunaḥKārtavīryārjuna
  3. pañca-śateṣufive hundred
  4. bāhubhiḥwith his arms
  5. dhanuḥṣuon the bows
  6. bāṇānarrows
  7. yugapatsimultaneously
  8. saḥhe
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

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 9.15

    In this verse: “king’s”

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 the contrast between one bow and five hundred reveal about Lord Paraśurāma’s skill?

Practice

Pause for one minute to reflect on the Lord’s mastery as described in this verse.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayOne Bow Overcomes Five HundredThis 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.

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