ŚrīmadBhāgavatam | Parāyaṇam
Canto 01 | Chapter 07
Aśvatthāmā’s Capture and the Resolution of Dharma
(After the killing of the Upapāṇḍavas, Arjuna captures Aśvatthāmā, Draupadī expresses compassion, and Śrī Kṛṣṇa shows the way to resolve a moral dilemma.)
Chapter introduction
In the Seventh Chapter, it is described how Vyāsa Maharṣi, while absorbed in bhakti-yoga samādhi, directly perceived Śrīman Nārāyaṇa and His māyā-śakti acting under His control. Realising that bhakti-yoga is the supreme remedy for the sufferings of conditioned souls, he composed ŚrīmadBhāgavatam. The chapter then unfolds the events that followed the Kurukṣetra war: Aśvatthāmā’s killing of the Upapāṇḍavas, Arjuna’s pursuit and capture of him, the episode of the brahmāstra, Draupadī’s extraordinary compassion, Bhīma’s demand for justice, and Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s guidance concerning the subtle principles of dharma.
In the end, Arjuna harmonises his vow, compassion, respect for his guru, and dharma by imposing an appropriate punishment upon Aśvatthāmā. Thus, this chapter presents two profound themes: the appearance of ŚrīmadBhāgavatam through devotion, and the determination of dharma in a situation of moral conflict. It teaches that justice and compassion are not opposing principles but are united within perfect dharma.
Ślokapāṭham
atha śrīmadbhāgavatam parāyaṇam
prathama skandhe saptamo’dhyāyaḥ
prathama skandhe saptamo’dhyāyaḥ
(śaunaka uvāca)
nirgate nārade sūta bhagavān bādarāyaṇaḥ ।
śrutavāṁstadabhipretam tataḥ kimakarodvibhuḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.01 ॥
nirgate nārade sūta bhagavān bādarāyaṇaḥ ।
śrutavāṁstadabhipretam tataḥ kimakarodvibhuḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.01 ॥
(sūta uvāca)
brahmanadyāṁ sarasvatyām āśramaḥ paścime taṭe ।
śamyāprāsa iti prokta ṛṣīṇāṁ satravardhanaḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.02 ॥
brahmanadyāṁ sarasvatyām āśramaḥ paścime taṭe ।
śamyāprāsa iti prokta ṛṣīṇāṁ satravardhanaḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.02 ॥
tasmin sva āśrame vyāsaḥ badarīṣaṇḍamaṇḍite ।
āsīno’p upaspṛśya praṇidadhyau manaḥ svayam ॥
॥ 01.07.03 ॥
āsīno’p upaspṛśya praṇidadhyau manaḥ svayam ॥
॥ 01.07.03 ॥
bhaktiyogena manasi samyakpraṇihite’male ।
apaśyatpuruṣaṁ pūrṇaṁ māyāṁ ca tadupāśrayām ॥
॥ 01.07.04 ॥
apaśyatpuruṣaṁ pūrṇaṁ māyāṁ ca tadupāśrayām ॥
॥ 01.07.04 ॥
yayā sammohito jīva ātmānaṁ triguṇātmakam ।
paro’pi manute’narthaṁ tatkṛtaṁ cābhipadyate ॥
॥ 01.07.05 ॥
paro’pi manute’narthaṁ tatkṛtaṁ cābhipadyate ॥
॥ 01.07.05 ॥
anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād bhaktiyogamadhokṣaje ।
lokasyājānato vidvān cakre sātvata saṁhitām ॥
॥ 01.07.06 ॥
lokasyājānato vidvān cakre sātvata saṁhitām ॥
॥ 01.07.06 ॥
yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṇāyāṁ kṛṣṇe paramapūruṣe ।
bhaktirutpadyate puṁsaḥ śokamohabhayāpahā ॥
॥ 01.07.07 ॥
bhaktirutpadyate puṁsaḥ śokamohabhayāpahā ॥
॥ 01.07.07 ॥
sa saṁhitāṁ bhāgavatīṁ kṛtvānukramya cātmajam ।
śukam adhyāpayāmāsa nivṛttinirataṁ muniḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.08 ॥
śukam adhyāpayāmāsa nivṛttinirataṁ muniḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.08 ॥
(śaunaka uvāca)
sa vai nivṛttinirataḥ sarvatropekṣako muniḥ ।
kasya vā bṛhatīm etām ātmārāmaḥ samabhyasat ॥
॥ 01.07.09 ॥
sa vai nivṛttinirataḥ sarvatropekṣako muniḥ ।
kasya vā bṛhatīm etām ātmārāmaḥ samabhyasat ॥
॥ 01.07.09 ॥
(sūta uvāca)
ātmārāmāś ca munayaḥ nirgranthā apyurukrame ।
kurvantyahaitukīṁ bhaktim itthambhūtaguṇo hariḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.10 ॥
ātmārāmāś ca munayaḥ nirgranthā apyurukrame ।
kurvantyahaitukīṁ bhaktim itthambhūtaguṇo hariḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.10 ॥
harerguṇākṣiptamatiḥ bhagavān bādarāyaṇiḥ ।
adhyagānmahadākhyānam nityaṁ viṣṇujanapriyaḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.11 ॥
adhyagānmahadākhyānam nityaṁ viṣṇujanapriyaḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.11 ॥
parīkṣito’tha rājarṣeḥ janma karma vilāpanam ।
saṁsthāṁca pāṇḍuputrāṇāṁ vakṣye kṛṣṇakathodayam ॥
॥ 01.07.12 ॥
saṁsthāṁca pāṇḍuputrāṇāṁ vakṣye kṛṣṇakathodayam ॥
॥ 01.07.12 ॥
yadā mṛdhe kauravasṛñjayānāṁ
vīreṣvatho vīragatiṁ gateṣu ।
vṛkodarāviddhagadābhimarśa
bhagnorudaṇḍe dhṛtarāṣṭraputre ॥
॥ 01.07.13 ॥
vīreṣvatho vīragatiṁ gateṣu ।
vṛkodarāviddhagadābhimarśa
bhagnorudaṇḍe dhṛtarāṣṭraputre ॥
॥ 01.07.13 ॥
bhartuḥ priyaṁ drauṇiriti sma paśyan
kṛṣṇāsutānāṁ svapatāṁ śirāṁsi ।
upāharadvipriyameva tasya tat
jugupsitaṁ karma vigarhayanti ॥
॥ 01.07.14 ॥
kṛṣṇāsutānāṁ svapatāṁ śirāṁsi ।
upāharadvipriyameva tasya tat
jugupsitaṁ karma vigarhayanti ॥
॥ 01.07.14 ॥
mātā śiśūnāṁ nidhanaṁ sutānām
niśamya ghoraṁ paritapyamānā ।
tadārudad bāṣpakalākulākṣī
tāṁ sāntvayannāha kirīṭamālī ॥
॥ 01.07.15 ॥
niśamya ghoraṁ paritapyamānā ।
tadārudad bāṣpakalākulākṣī
tāṁ sāntvayannāha kirīṭamālī ॥
॥ 01.07.15 ॥
tadā śucaste pramṛjāmi bhadre
yadbrahmabandhoḥ śira ātatāyinaḥ ।
gāṇḍīvamuktairviśikhairupāhare
tvākramya yatsnāsyasi dagdhaputrā ॥
॥ 01.07.16 ॥
yadbrahmabandhoḥ śira ātatāyinaḥ ।
gāṇḍīvamuktairviśikhairupāhare
tvākramya yatsnāsyasi dagdhaputrā ॥
॥ 01.07.16 ॥
iti priyāṁ valguvicitrajalpaiḥ
sa sāntvayitvācyutamitrasūtaḥ ।
anvādravaddaṁśita ugradhanvā
kapidhvajo guruputraṁ rathena ॥
॥ 01.07.17 ॥
sa sāntvayitvācyutamitrasūtaḥ ।
anvādravaddaṁśita ugradhanvā
kapidhvajo guruputraṁ rathena ॥
॥ 01.07.17 ॥
tamāpatantaṁ sa vilakṣya dūrāt
kumārahoddvignamanā rathena ।
parādravatprāṇaparīpsururvyāṁ
yāvadgamaṁ rudrabhayād yathārkaḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.18 ॥
kumārahoddvignamanā rathena ।
parādravatprāṇaparīpsururvyāṁ
yāvadgamaṁ rudrabhayād yathārkaḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.18 ॥
yadāśaraṇamātmānam aikṣata śrāntavājinam ।
astraṁ brahmaśiro mene ātmatrāṇaṁ dvijātmajaḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.19 ॥
astraṁ brahmaśiro mene ātmatrāṇaṁ dvijātmajaḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.19 ॥
athopaspṛśya salilaṁ sandadhe tatsamāhitaḥ ।
ajānannupasaṁhāraṁ prāṇakṛcchre upasthite ॥
॥ 01.07.20 ॥
ajānannupasaṁhāraṁ prāṇakṛcchre upasthite ॥
॥ 01.07.20 ॥
tataḥ prāduṣkṛtaṁ tejaḥ pracaṇḍaṁ sarvato diśam ।
prāṇāpadamabhiprekṣya viṣṇuṁ jiṣṇuruvāca ha ॥
॥ 01.07.21 ॥
prāṇāpadamabhiprekṣya viṣṇuṁ jiṣṇuruvāca ha ॥
॥ 01.07.21 ॥
(arjuna uvāca)
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa mahābāho bhaktānāmabhayaṅkara ।
tvam eko dahyamānānām apavargo’si saṁsṛteḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.22 ॥
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa mahābāho bhaktānāmabhayaṅkara ।
tvam eko dahyamānānām apavargo’si saṁsṛteḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.22 ॥
tvamādyaḥ puruṣaḥ sākṣāt īśvaraḥ prakṛteḥ paraḥ ।
māyāṁ vyudasya cicchaktyā kaivalye sthita ātmani ॥
॥ 01.07.23 ॥
māyāṁ vyudasya cicchaktyā kaivalye sthita ātmani ॥
॥ 01.07.23 ॥
sa eva jīvalokasya māyāmohitacetasaḥ ।
vidhatse svena vīryeṇa śreyo dharmādilakṣaṇam ॥
॥ 01.07.24 ॥
vidhatse svena vīryeṇa śreyo dharmādilakṣaṇam ॥
॥ 01.07.24 ॥
tathāyaṁ cāvatāraste bhuvo bhārajihīrṣayā ।
svānāṁ cānanyabhāvānām anudhyānāya cāsakṛt ॥
॥ 01.07.25 ॥
svānāṁ cānanyabhāvānām anudhyānāya cāsakṛt ॥
॥ 01.07.25 ॥
kimidaṁ svit kuto veti devadeva na vedmyaham ।
sarvatomukhamāyāti tejaḥ paramadāruṇam ॥
॥ 01.07.26 ॥
sarvatomukhamāyāti tejaḥ paramadāruṇam ॥
॥ 01.07.26 ॥
(śrībhagavānuvāca)
vetthedaṁ droṇaputrasya brāhmamastram pradarśitam ।
naivāsau veda saṁhāraṁ prāṇabādha upasthite ॥
॥ 01.07.27 ॥
vetthedaṁ droṇaputrasya brāhmamastram pradarśitam ।
naivāsau veda saṁhāraṁ prāṇabādha upasthite ॥
॥ 01.07.27 ॥
na hyasyānyatamaṁ kiñcit astram pratyavakarṣaṇam ।
jahyastrateja unnaddham astrajño hyastratejasā ॥
॥ 01.07.28 ॥
jahyastrateja unnaddham astrajño hyastratejasā ॥
॥ 01.07.28 ॥
(sūta uvāca)
śrutvā bhagavatā proktam phālgunaḥ paravīrahā ।
spṛṣṭvāpastaṁ parikramya brāhmaṁ brāhmāya sandadhe ॥
॥ 01.07.29 ॥
śrutvā bhagavatā proktam phālgunaḥ paravīrahā ।
spṛṣṭvāpastaṁ parikramya brāhmaṁ brāhmāya sandadhe ॥
॥ 01.07.29 ॥
saṁhatyānyonyamubhayo tejasī śarasaṁvṛte ।
āvṛtya rodasī khaṁ ca vavṛdhāte’rkavahnivat ॥
॥ 01.07.30 ॥
āvṛtya rodasī khaṁ ca vavṛdhāte’rkavahnivat ॥
॥ 01.07.30 ॥
dṛṣṭvāstratejastu tayoḥ trīṁlokān pradahanmahat ।
dahyamānāḥ prajāḥ sarvāḥ sāṁvartakamamaṁsata ॥
॥ 01.07.31 ॥
dahyamānāḥ prajāḥ sarvāḥ sāṁvartakamamaṁsata ॥
॥ 01.07.31 ॥
prajopaplavamālakṣya lokavyatikaraṁ ca tam ।
mataṁ ca vāsudevasya sañjahārārjuno dvayam ॥
॥ 01.07.32 ॥
mataṁ ca vāsudevasya sañjahārārjuno dvayam ॥
॥ 01.07.32 ॥
tato’sādya tarasā dāruṇaṁ gautamīsutam ।
babandhāmarṣatāmrākṣaḥ paśuṁ raśanayā yathā ॥
॥ 01.07.33 ॥
babandhāmarṣatāmrākṣaḥ paśuṁ raśanayā yathā ॥
॥ 01.07.33 ॥
śibirāya ninīṣantaṁ rajjvā baddhvā ripuṁ balāt ।
prāhārjunaṁ prakupitaḥ bhagavānambujekṣaṇaḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.34 ॥
prāhārjunaṁ prakupitaḥ bhagavānambujekṣaṇaḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.34 ॥
mainaṁ pārthārhasi trātum brahmabandhumimaṁ jahi ।
yo’sāvanāgasaḥ suptān avadhīnniśi bālakān ॥
॥ 01.07.35 ॥
yo’sāvanāgasaḥ suptān avadhīnniśi bālakān ॥
॥ 01.07.35 ॥
mattaṁ pramattamunmattaṁ suptaṁ bālaṁ striyaṁ jaḍam ।
prapannaṁ virathaṁ bhītaṁ na ripuṁ hanti dharmavit ॥
॥ 01.07.36 ॥
prapannaṁ virathaṁ bhītaṁ na ripuṁ hanti dharmavit ॥
॥ 01.07.36 ॥
svaprāṇān yaḥ paraprāṇaiḥ prapuṣṇātyaghṛṇaḥ khalaḥ ।
tadvadhastasya hi śreyaḥ yaddoṣādyātyadhaḥ pumān ॥
॥ 01.07.37 ॥
tadvadhastasya hi śreyaḥ yaddoṣādyātyadhaḥ pumān ॥
॥ 01.07.37 ॥
pratiśrutaṁ ca bhavatā pāñcālyai śṛṇvato mama ।
āhariṣye śirastasya yaste mānini putrahā ॥
॥ 01.07.38 ॥
āhariṣye śirastasya yaste mānini putrahā ॥
॥ 01.07.38 ॥
tadasau vadhyatāṁ pāpaḥ ātatāyyātmabandhuhā ।
bhartuśca vipriyaṁ vīra kṛtavān kulapāṁsanaḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.39 ॥
bhartuśca vipriyaṁ vīra kṛtavān kulapāṁsanaḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.39 ॥
evaṁ parīkṣatā dharmam pārthaḥ kṛṣṇena coditaḥ ।
naivecchaddhantuṁ gurusutam yadyapyātmahanaṁ mahān ॥
॥ 01.07.40 ॥
naivecchaddhantuṁ gurusutam yadyapyātmahanaṁ mahān ॥
॥ 01.07.40 ॥
atho’petya svaśibiram govindapriyasārathiḥ ।
nyavedayattaṁ priyāyai śocantyā’tmajān hatān ॥
॥ 01.07.41 ॥
nyavedayattaṁ priyāyai śocantyā’tmajān hatān ॥
॥ 01.07.41 ॥
tathā’hṛtaṁ paśuvatpāśabaddham
avāṅmukhaṁ karmajugupsitena ।
nirīkṣya kṛṣṇāpakṛtaṁ gurossutam
vāmasvabhāvā kṛpayā nanāma ca ॥
॥ 01.07.42 ॥
avāṅmukhaṁ karmajugupsitena ।
nirīkṣya kṛṣṇāpakṛtaṁ gurossutam
vāmasvabhāvā kṛpayā nanāma ca ॥
॥ 01.07.42 ॥
uvāca cāsahantyasya bandhanānayanaṁ satī ।
mucyatāṁ mucyatāmeṣa brāhmaṇo nitarāṁ guruḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.43 ॥
mucyatāṁ mucyatāmeṣa brāhmaṇo nitarāṁ guruḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.43 ॥
sarahasyo dhanurvedaḥ savisargopasaṁyamaḥ ।
astragrāmaśca bhavatā śikṣito yadanugrahāt ॥
॥ 01.07.44 ॥
astragrāmaśca bhavatā śikṣito yadanugrahāt ॥
॥ 01.07.44 ॥
sa eṣa bhagavān droṇaḥ prajārūpeṇa vartate ।
tasyātmano’rdhaṁ patnyāste nānvagādvīrasūḥ kṛpī ॥
॥ 01.07.45 ॥
tasyātmano’rdhaṁ patnyāste nānvagādvīrasūḥ kṛpī ॥
॥ 01.07.45 ॥
taddharmajña mahābhāga bhavadbhirgauravaṁ kulam ।
vṛjinaṁ nārhati prāptuṁ pūjyaṁ vandyamabhīkṣṇaśaḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.46 ॥
vṛjinaṁ nārhati prāptuṁ pūjyaṁ vandyamabhīkṣṇaśaḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.46 ॥
mā rodīdasya jananī gautamī patidevatā ।
yathāhaṁ mṛtavatsārtā rodimyaśrumukhī muhuḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.47 ॥
yathāhaṁ mṛtavatsārtā rodimyaśrumukhī muhuḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.47 ॥
yaiḥ kopitaṁ brāhmakulam rājanyairajitātmabhiḥ ।
tatkulaṁ pradahatyāśu sānubandhaṁ śucārpitam ॥
॥ 01.07.48 ॥
tatkulaṁ pradahatyāśu sānubandhaṁ śucārpitam ॥
॥ 01.07.48 ॥
(sūta uvāca)
dharmyaṁ nyāyyaṁ sakaruṇam nirvyalīkaṁ samaṁ mahat ।
rājā dharmasuto rājñyāḥ pratyanandadvaco dvijāḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.49 ॥
dharmyaṁ nyāyyaṁ sakaruṇam nirvyalīkaṁ samaṁ mahat ।
rājā dharmasuto rājñyāḥ pratyanandadvaco dvijāḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.49 ॥
nakulassahadevaśca yuyudhāno dhanañjayaḥ ।
bhagavān devakīputraḥ ye cānye yāśca yoṣitaḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.50 ॥
bhagavān devakīputraḥ ye cānye yāśca yoṣitaḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.50 ॥
tatrāhāmarṣito bhīmaḥ tasya śreyān vadhaḥ smṛtaḥ ।
na bharturnātmanaścārthe yo’han suptān śiśūn vṛthā ॥
॥ 01.07.51 ॥
na bharturnātmanaścārthe yo’han suptān śiśūn vṛthā ॥
॥ 01.07.51 ॥
niśamya bhīmagaditaṁ draupadyāśca caturbhujaḥ ।
ālokya vadanaṁ sakhyuḥ idamāha hasanniva ॥
॥ 01.07.52 ॥
ālokya vadanaṁ sakhyuḥ idamāha hasanniva ॥
॥ 01.07.52 ॥
(śrī kṛṣṇa uvāca)
brahmabandhurna hantavya ātatāyī vadhārhaṇaḥ ।
mayaivobhayamāmnātaṁ paripāhyanuśāsanam ॥
॥ 01.07.53 ॥
brahmabandhurna hantavya ātatāyī vadhārhaṇaḥ ।
mayaivobhayamāmnātaṁ paripāhyanuśāsanam ॥
॥ 01.07.53 ॥
kuru pratiśrutaṁ satyaṁ yattatsāntvayatā priyām ।
priyaṁ ca bhīmasenasya pāñcālyā mahyameva ca ॥
॥ 01.07.54 ॥
priyaṁ ca bhīmasenasya pāñcālyā mahyameva ca ॥
॥ 01.07.54 ॥
(sūta uvāca)
arjunaḥ sahasājñāya harerhārdamathāsinā ।
maṇiṁ jahāra mūrdhanyam dvijasya sahamūrdhajam ॥
॥ 01.07.55 ॥
arjunaḥ sahasājñāya harerhārdamathāsinā ।
maṇiṁ jahāra mūrdhanyam dvijasya sahamūrdhajam ॥
॥ 01.07.55 ॥
vimucya raśanābaddhaṁ bālahatyāhataprabham ।
tejasā maṇinā hīnaṁ śibirānnirayāpayat ॥
॥ 01.07.56 ॥
tejasā maṇinā hīnaṁ śibirānnirayāpayat ॥
॥ 01.07.56 ॥
vapanaṁ draviṇādānaṁ sthānānniryāpaṇaṁ tathā ।
eṣa hi brahmabandhūnāṁ vadho nānyo’sti daihikaḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.57 ॥
eṣa hi brahmabandhūnāṁ vadho nānyo’sti daihikaḥ ॥
॥ 01.07.57 ॥
putraśokāturāssarve pāṇḍavāḥ saha kṛṣṇayā ।
svānāṁ mṛtānāṁ yatkṛtyaṁ cakrurnirharaṇādikam ॥
॥ 01.07.58 ॥
svānāṁ mṛtānāṁ yatkṛtyaṁ cakrurnirharaṇādikam ॥
॥ 01.07.58 ॥
iti śrīmadbhāgavate mahāpurāṇe pāramahaṁsyāṁ saṁhitāyām ।
prathama skandhe saptamo’dhyāyaḥ ॥
prathama skandhe saptamo’dhyāyaḥ ॥
Other Study Paths | Canto 01 | Chapter 07
Adhyayanam | Bhāvārtham | Sāram | Sārāmśam
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