Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.54.31
तस्य चापतत: खड्गं तिलशश्चर्म चेषुभि: ।
छित्त्वासिमाददे तिग्मं रुक्मिणं हन्तुमुद्यत: ॥ ३१ ॥
tasya cāpatataḥ khaḍgaṁ
[tasya chaapatatah khadgam]
tilaśaś carma ceṣubhiḥ
[tilashash charma cheshubhih]
chittvāsim ādade tigmaṁ
[chittvaasim aadade tigmam]
rukmiṇaṁ hantum udyataḥ
[rukminam hantum udyatah]
Word-for-word
tasya
—
of him
ca
—
and
āpatataḥ
—
who was attacking
khaḍgam
—
the sword
tilaśaḥ
—
into small pieces
carma
—
the shield
ca
—
and
iṣubhiḥ
—
with His arrows
chittvā
—
breaking
asim
—
His sword
ādade
—
He took
tigmam
—
sharp
rukmiṇam
—
Rukmī
hantum
—
to kill
udyataḥ
—
prepared .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tasya cāpatataḥ khaḍgaṁ
tasya
of him
ca
and
āpatataḥ
who was attacking
khaḍgam
the sword
tilaśaś carma ceṣubhiḥ
tilaśaḥ
into small pieces
carma
the shield
ca
and
iṣubhiḥ
with His arrows
chittvāsim ādade tigmaṁ
chittvā
breaking
asim
His sword
ādade
He took
tigmam
sharp
rukmiṇaṁ hantum udyataḥ
rukmiṇam
Rukmī
hantum
to kill
udyataḥ
prepared .
Important Words
-
tilaśaḥ
—
into small pieces (lit. like sesame seeds)
From tila (sesame) + the distributive śaḥ. Sanskrit's idiom for 'pulverized.' Vyāsa's smallness of image (sesame seeds) emphasizes the surgical, almost playful precision of the Lord's arrows.
-
iṣubhiḥ
—
with His arrows
Plural instrumental of iṣu. The Bhāgavatam never numbers Kṛṣṇa's own arrows in this exchange — the count is always for Rukmī. Kṛṣṇa's response is unmeasured because His resources are infinite.
-
tigmam
—
sharp
An older word for sharp than niśita. Vyāsa uses the rarer term to lift the moment — this is not a chase any longer, this is the verge of execution.
-
asim
—
His sword
Same noun as v. 8's 'asi' (the swords on the battlefield). There, swords lie in the dirt; here, the Lord's own sword rises. Gauḍīya commentators love such echoes.
-
udyataḥ
—
prepared / lifted up
Past participle of ud-√yam, 'to raise.' The Lord's hand is raised, paused. The whole next verse hangs on this paused hand. Bhakti's interruption is about to happen.
As Rukmī attacked Him, the Lord shot arrows that broke Rukmī’s sword and shield into small pieces. Kṛṣṇa then took up His own sharp sword and prepared to kill Rukmī.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
As Rukmī attacked Him, the Lord shot arrows that broke Rukmī's sword and shield into small pieces. Kṛṣṇa then took up His own sharp sword and prepared to kill Rukmī.
Jīva Gosvāmī
Gauḍīya
Commentary
Tigmam modifies asim (sharp sword). Or it can modify rukmiṇam (Rukmī, sharp with energy).
Related values & verses
Concepts
Jiva
Personal Guidance
Kṛṣṇa shoots arrows that break Rukmī's sword and shield to pieces; takes up His sharp sword and prepares to kill. Once arsenals are gone, the Lord moves to definitive ending.
Reflection Questions
- Where does the Lord move to finish what has been long building?
- How do you let definitive endings happen rather than re-postponing?
Analogy
Sword and shield turned to confetti — and Kṛṣṇa lifts His own sword to end the matter. The Lord is willing to kill, but waits for the right voice to ask Him not to. Bhakti often functions just so: not as the prevention of consequence but as its intercessor.
My note
Source: vedabase.io