Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 14

Ambikā-vana Śiva-pūjā; Nanda Saved from the Serpent; Śaṅkhacūḍa Slain

Devanagari script

शापो मेऽनुग्रहायैव कृतस्तै: करुणात्मभि: । यदहं लोकगुरुणा पदा स्पृष्टो हताशुभ: ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

śāpo me ’nugrahāyaiva kṛtas taiḥ karuṇātmabhiḥ yad ahaṁ loka-guruṇā padā spṛṣṭo hatāśubhaḥ

Translation

It was actually for my benefit that those merciful sages cursed me, since now I have been touched by the foot of the supreme spiritual master of all the worlds and have thus been relieved of all inauspiciousness.

Synonyms

• śāpaḥ: the curse
• śāpaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• me: of me / for me
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: 1st person pronoun, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• anugrahāya: for grace/favor
• anugrahāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anugraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय)

• kṛtaḥ: was done/made
• kṛtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Past Passive Participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; śāpaḥ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• taiḥ: by them
• taiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural; सर्वनाम

• karuṇātmabhiḥ: by the compassionate-hearted (ones)
• karuṇātmabhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: karuṇā + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural; बहुव्रीहि (करुणा आत्मा येषाम्)

• yat: since/that
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Conjunctional relative particle (यत्-सम्बन्धक-अव्यय) introducing reason/relative clause

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: 1st person pronoun, Nominative (1st), Singular

• loka-guruṇā: by the teacher of the world
• loka-guruṇā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka + guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लोकस्य गुरुः)

• padā: by (his) foot
• padā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

• spṛṣṭaḥ: touched
• spṛṣṭaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: spṛś (धातु)
• Form: Past Passive Participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; ‘touched’

• hatāśubhaḥ: freed from inauspiciousness
• hatāśubhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hata + aśubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; उपपद/तत्पुरुष sense: ‘whose inauspiciousness is destroyed’ (हतम् अशुभं यस्य)

Characters & Entities

• Nanda Mahārāja
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• the sages (ṛṣis)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about a curse becoming a blessing?

This verse teaches that what appears as a curse can be the Lord’s mercy, because it may bring one into direct contact with Śrī Kṛṣṇa, removing inauspiciousness.

Why does Nanda Mahārāja call the curse an act of compassion?

He sees the sages as karuṇātmā (compassionate) because their curse ultimately led to Kṛṣṇa’s touch and protection, which purified and benefited him.

How can this teaching be applied in modern life?

When hardship comes, a devotee can seek Kṛṣṇa’s shelter and interpret adversity as a chance to deepen surrender, turning suffering into spiritual progress.