Srimad Bhagavatam — Prathama Skandha, Shloka 22

Inauspicious Omens and Arjuna’s Return from Dvārakā

Devanagari script

इति चिन्तयतस्तस्य द‍ृष्टारिष्टेन चेतसा । राज्ञ: प्रत्यागमद् ब्रह्मन् यदुपुर्या: कपिध्वज: ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

iti cintayatas tasya dṛṣṭāriṣṭena cetasā rājñaḥ pratyāgamad brahman yadu-puryāḥ kapi-dhvajaḥ

Translation

O Brāhmaṇa Śaunaka, while Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, observing the inauspicious signs on the earth at that time, was thus thinking to himself, Arjuna came back from the city of the Yadus [Dvārakā].

Synonyms

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: इति-निपात (quotative/thus)

• cintayataḥ: of (him) who was thinking
• cintayataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: cint (चिन्त् धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present active participle), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine/Neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• dṛṣṭa-ariṣṭena: with (a mind) affected by the seen omens
• dṛṣṭa-ariṣṭena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dṛṣṭa (दृष्ट कृदन्त) + ariṣṭa (अरिष्ट प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास ('दृष्टम् अरिष्टम्' = seen ill-omen), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• cetasā: with mind
• cetasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cetas (चेतस् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• rājñaḥ: of the king
• rājñaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (राजन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• pratyāgamat: returned/came back
• pratyāgamat: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati + ā + gam (प्रति-आ-गम् धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• brahman: O brāhmaṇa
• brahman: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (ब्रह्मन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• yadu-puryāḥ: from the city of the Yadus
• yadu-puryāḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yadu (यदु प्रातिपदिक) + purī (पुरी प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: 'यदूनां पुरी' = city of the Yadus), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• kapi-dhvajaḥ: Arjuna (with monkey-banner)
• kapi-dhvajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapi (कपि प्रातिपदिक) + dhvaja (ध्वज प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास ('कपिः ध्वजे यस्य' = whose banner has Hanumān/monkey), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Characters & Entities

• King Yudhishthira
• Arjuna
• Hanuman

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam 1.14.22 say about ominous signs before Krishna’s disappearance?

It states that King Yudhishthira’s mind became disturbed after seeing inauspicious omens, and at that very time Arjuna returned from Dvārakā—hinting that grave events had occurred among the Yadus and that Krishna’s departure was near.

Why is Arjuna called Kapidhvaja in the Bhagavatam?

Arjuna is called Kapidhvaja because his chariot flag bore the emblem of Hanumān (the ‘monkey’ hero), a mark of divine protection and his connection to dharmic victory.

How can devotees apply the lesson of this verse in modern life?

The verse encourages alertness to spiritual warning signs and timely inquiry—when dharma seems to weaken, one should seek truth from reliable sources and take shelter of devotion rather than panic.