Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 5

Dakṣa Offends Lord Śiva: Cursing and Countercursing in the Sacrificial Assembly

Devanagari script

तत्र प्रविष्टमृषयो दृष्ट्वार्कमिव रोचिषा । भ्राजमानं वितिमिरं कुर्वन्तं तन्महत्सद: ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

tatra praviṣṭam ṛṣayo dṛṣṭvārkam iva rociṣā bhrājamānaṁ vitimiraṁ kurvantaṁ tan mahat sadaḥ

Translation

When Dakṣa, the leader of the Prajāpatis, entered that assembly, his personal bodily luster as bright as the effulgence of the sun, the entire assembly was illuminated, and all the assembled personalities became insignificant in his presence.

Synonyms

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• प्रविष्टम्: having entered / the one who entered
• प्रविष्टम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-विश् (कृदन्त; धातु √विश्)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; 'प्रविष्ट' (entered)

• ऋषयः: the sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), 'having seen'

• अर्कम्: the sun
• अर्कम्: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Upama (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• रोचिषा: by (his) radiance
• रोचिषा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोचिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd, instrumental), एकवचन

• भ्राजमानम्: shining
• भ्राजमानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भ्राज् (कृदन्त; धातु √भ्राज्)
• Form: शानच् (present participle, आत्मनेपदभाव), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; 'दीप्यमान'

• वितिमिरम्: free from darkness
• वितिमिरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-तिमिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; वि (निः/विगत) + तिमिर (darkness) = 'darkness-free'

• कुर्वन्तम्: making, rendering
• कुर्वन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (कृदन्त; धातु √कृ)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• सदः: assembly hall
• सदः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about spiritual effulgence (tejas) of a great personality?

This verse compares the person’s radiance to the sun—his presence illuminates the entire assembly and removes darkness, indicating extraordinary spiritual potency perceived by sages.

Who is speaking in Bhagavatam 4.2.5 and what is the setting?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī narrates to King Parīkṣit, describing a great hall where sages witness a powerful figure entering, whose brilliance fills the assembly.

How can this shloka be applied in modern life?

Cultivate purity, humility, and devotional practice so that one’s character becomes “illumining”—bringing clarity, calm, and upliftment to any gathering rather than confusion or negativity.