1 · Learn4 of 6 · 5 min

Study a Verse

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

Or browse by canto and chapter
Canto

Canto 9 · Liberation · 24 chapters

123456789101112131415161718192021222324

Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

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
9.15.339.15.35-36

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 9.15.34

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

पुन: स्वहस्तैरचलान् मृधेऽङ्‌घ्रिपा-

नुत्क्षिप्य वेगादभिधावतो युधि ।

भुजान् कुठारेण कठोरनेमिना

चिच्छेद राम: प्रसभं त्वहेरिव ॥ ३४ ॥

punaḥ sva-hastair acalān mṛdhe ’ṅghripān

utkṣipya vegād abhidhāvato yudhi

bhujān kuṭhāreṇa kaṭhora-neminā

ciccheda rāmaḥ prasabhaṁ tv aher iva

Translation

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.

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.

The King’s Strength Cannot Prevail

  1. 1

    After his arrows were destroyed, Kārtavīryārjuna uprooted many trees and hills with his own hands.

  2. 2

    He again rushed forcefully toward Lord Paraśurāma, intending to kill him.

  3. 3

    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.

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. punaḥagain
  2. sva-hastaiḥby his own hands
  3. acalānhills
  4. mṛdhein the battlefield
  5. aṅghripāntrees
  6. utkṣipyaafter uprooting
  7. vegātwith great force
  8. abhidhāvataḥof he who was running very forcefully
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 outcome show about the limits of Kārtavīryārjuna’s extraordinary strength?

Practice

Write one sentence describing how the king’s renewed attack ended.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayThe King’s Strength Cannot PrevailThis 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 9.15.34? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
  1. Learn
  2. Live
  3. Lead
Next in Learn · 5 of 11 · 2 minAsk the BhāgavatamBring your own question. Get an answer drawn only from the Bhāgavatam's translations, with every verse shown.Back · LearnCantos & stories