Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 22

Yayāti’s Renunciation: The Allegory of the He-Goat and She-Goat

Devanagari script

दिशि दक्षिणपूर्वस्यां द्रुह्युं दक्षिणतो यदुम् । प्रतीच्यां तुर्वसुं चक्र उदीच्यामनुमीश्वरम् ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

diśi dakṣiṇa-pūrvasyāṁ druhyuṁ dakṣiṇato yadum pratīcyāṁ turvasuṁ cakra udīcyām anum īśvaram

Translation

King Yayāti gave the southeast to his son Druhyu, the south to his son Yadu, the west to his son Turvasu, and the north to his son Anu. In this way he divided the kingdom.

Synonyms

• diśi: in the direction
• diśi: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative); एकवचन

• dakṣiṇa-pūrvasyām: in the south-eastern (direction)
• dakṣiṇa-pūrvasyām: Visheshana (विशेषण of अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (दक्षिण+पूर्व); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative); एकवचन; दिक्-विशेषणम्

• druhyum: Druhyu
• druhyum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: druhyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• dakṣiṇataḥ: to the south
• dakṣiṇataḥ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/स्थान-निर्देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + tasil (तसिल्)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb)

• yadum: Yadu
• yadum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yadu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• pratīcyām: in the western (direction)
• pratīcyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratīcī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative); एकवचन; दिक्-शब्दः

• turvasum: Turvasu
• turvasum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: turvasu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• cakre: placed/appointed
• cakre: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• udīcyām: in the northern (direction)
• udīcyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udīcī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative); एकवचन; दिक्-शब्दः

• anum: Anu
• anum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• īśvaram: the ruler/lord
• īśvaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; उपपद-सम्बन्धः (appositional)

Characters & Entities

• Druhyu
• Yadu
• Turvasu
• Anu

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about how King Yayāti divided the kingdoms among his sons?

This verse states that Yayāti assigned specific regions by direction—Druhyu to the southeast, Yadu to the south, Turvasu to the west, and Anu to the north—showing an orderly distribution of rulership.

Why did Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe the directions (north, south, west, southeast) for Yayāti’s sons?

Śukadeva is narrating the historical arrangement of royal domains in the Yayāti dynasty, clarifying how the various lineages became established in different regions.

What is a practical lesson from this shloka for modern life?

It highlights responsible leadership and clear division of duties—when roles and boundaries are defined fairly, harmony and stability increase in families, organizations, and communities.