Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 57

Hiraṇyakaśipu’s Wrath, the Assault on Vedic Culture, and the Boy-Yamarāja’s Teaching on the Soul

Devanagari script

एवं यूयमपश्यन्त्य आत्मापायमबुद्धय: । नैनं प्राप्स्यथ शोचन्त्य: पतिं वर्षशतैरपि ॥ ५७ ॥

Transliteration

evaṁ yūyam apaśyantya ātmāpāyam abuddhayaḥ nainaṁ prāpsyatha śocantyaḥ patiṁ varṣa-śatair api

Translation

Thus Yamarāja, in the guise of a small boy, told all the queens: You are all so foolish that you lament but do not see your own death. Afflicted by a poor fund of knowledge, you do not know that even if you lament for your dead husband for hundreds of years, you will never get him back alive, and in the meantime your lives will be finished.

Synonyms

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: सम्बन्ध/प्रकार (manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक

• यूयम्: you (all)
• यूयम्: कर्ता (Karta/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुषार्थे (2nd person pronoun); प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• अपश्यन्त्यः: not seeing
• अपश्यन्त्यः: कर्ता-विशेषण (subject qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अ-√पश् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘यूयम्’ (स्त्रीसमूह) विशेषणरूपेण

• आत्मापायम्: the soul’s peril/ruin
• आत्मापायम्: कर्म (Karma/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + अपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (आत्मनः अपायः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अबुद्धयः: the foolish ones
• अबुद्धयः: कर्ता (Karta/subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘अ’ नञ्-प्रत्यय (negation)

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: कर्म (Karma/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद्/इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्राप्स्यथ: you will obtain/reach
• प्राप्स्यथ: क्रिया (action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√आप् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्/Future), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• शोचन्त्यः: lamenting
• शोचन्त्यः: कर्ता-विशेषण (subject qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शुच् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘यूयम्’ विशेषणम्

• पतिम्: husband
• पतिम्: कर्म (Karma/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वर्षशतैः: even with hundreds of years
• वर्षशतैः: करण/अत्यन्तसंयोग (measure of time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समासः (शतं वर्षाणि → वर्षशतम्); तृतीया, बहुवचन (instrumental of measure/time)

• अपि: even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि = even/also (emphatic particle)

Purport

Yamarāja once asked Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, “What is the most wonderful thing within this world?” Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira replied ( Mahābhārata, Vana-parva 313.116):

Characters & Entities

• Hiraṇyakaśipu

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about ignorance of the self (ātma-apāya)?

This verse warns that failing to perceive the soul’s real danger—spiritual ruin due to ignorance—leads to futile lamentation and continued frustration rather than true attainment.

Why did Hiraṇyakaśipu say this, and to whom was it directed?

He speaks harshly to women who desired him as husband, declaring that their sorrow will not change destiny—revealing his proud, insensitive, and materialistic asuric outlook.

Practical application: what is the lesson of this shloka for modern life?

Mere emotional longing cannot replace clarity and right action; one should recognize the deeper spiritual stakes and seek lasting shelter through dharma and bhakti rather than attachment and lamentation.