Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 29

Nārada Instructs Prācīnabarhiṣat: The Purañjana Narrative Begins

City of Nine Gates

Devanagari script

नासां वरोर्वन्यतमा भुविस्पृक् पुरीमिमां वीरवरेण साकम् । अर्हस्यलङ्कर्तुमदभ्रकर्मणा लोकं परं श्रीरिव यज्ञपुंसा ॥ २९ ॥

Transliteration

nāsāṁ varorv anyatamā bhuvi-spṛk purīm imāṁ vīra-vareṇa sākam arhasy alaṅkartum adabhra-karmaṇā lokaṁ paraṁ śrīr iva yajña-puṁsā

Translation

أيتها المباركة، إذ أرى قدميك تلامسان الأرض، فلا تبدين من النساء السماويات اللواتي ذكرتُهن. فإن كنتِ امرأةً من هذا العالم، فكما تزيد شري-ديفي، وهي مع بهاجافان فيشنو، بهاء عوالم فايكونثا، كذلك يمكنكِ بمصاحبتكِ لي أن تزيدي جمال هذه المدينة؛ واعلمي أني بطل عظيم وملك قوي في هذه الأرض.

Synonyms

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• asām: of these (women)
• asām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम-रूप (genitive plural)

• varoruḥ: the fair-thighed (lady)
• varoruḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varoru (प्रातिपदिक; वर-ऊरु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (वरौ ऊरू यस्याः)

• anyatamā: one of the most excellent
• anyatamā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anyatama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (superlative/one of the best)

• bhuvi-spṛk: touching the ground (tall)
• bhuvi-spṛk: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhuvi-spṛś (कृदन्त; स्पृश्-धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक (स्पृक् = स्पृश् धातोः क्विप्), तत्पुरुषः (भुविं स्पृशति)

• purīm: the city
• purīm: Karma (कर्म/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• imām: this
• imām: Karma (कर्म/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (demonstrative)

• vīra-vareṇa: with the best hero
• vīra-vareṇa: Sahakāraka (सहकारक/Instrumental of accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra-vara (प्रातिपदिक; वीर + वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (वीरः एव वरः)

• sākam: together with
• sākam: Sahārtha (सहार्थ/with)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sākam (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अर्थक-अव्यय (indeclinable meaning 'together/with')

• arhasi: you are fit / you deserve
• arhasi: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arh (अर्ह्-धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• alaṅkartum: to adorn
• alaṅkartum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Infinitive purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: alaṅkṛ (अलङ्कृ-धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), क्रियार्थ (purpose)

• adabhra-karmaṇā: by (your) immense deeds/power
• adabhra-karmaṇā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adabhra-karman (प्रातिपदिक; अदभ्र + कर्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे (कर्मन्-शब्दः), तृतीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अदभ्रं कर्म यस्य)

• lokam: the world
• lokam: Karma (कर्म/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• param: supreme, higher
• param: Karma (कर्म/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• śrīḥ: Lakṣmī / fortune
• śrīḥ: Upamāna-karta (उपमान/Comparative subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā (उपमा/Simile marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• yajña-puṁsā: by the Lord of sacrifice (Viṣṇu)
• yajña-puṁsā: Upameya-sambandha (उपमेय-सम्बन्ध/with whom compared)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña-puṁs (प्रातिपदिक; यज्ञ + पुंस्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (यज्ञः एव पुमान्/पुरुषः = विष्णुः)

Purport

There is a difference between demoniac mentality and devotional mentality. Devotees know perfectly well that the goddess of fortune, who is the constant companion of Viṣṇu, or Nārāyaṇa, cannot be enjoyed by a living entity. This higher sense of understanding is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Nonetheless, everyone wants to become happy by imitating the prosperity of Nārāyaṇa. In this verse Purañjana states that the girl appears to be an ordinary woman. However, since he is attracted by her, he requests that she become as happy as the goddess of fortune by associating with him. Thus he introduces himself as a great king with great influence so that she might accept him as her husband and be as happy as the goddess of fortune. To desire to enjoy this material world as a subordinate of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is godly. The demons, however, want to enjoy this material world without considering the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the difference between a demon and a demigod.

Characters & Entities

• Purañjana
• the maiden (Purañjanī / the allegorical city’s presiding woman)
• Śrī (Lakṣmī)
• Yajña-pumān (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam mean by the “city” in the Purañjana story?

In this allegory, the “city” points to the embodied condition—the field of bodily life (often explained as the body with its gates/senses) that the living being enters and tries to enjoy.

Why does Purañjana compare the woman to Lakṣmī and the Lord of sacrifice?

He flatters her as supremely auspicious and worthy, likening her to Lakṣmī who naturally adorns Viṣṇu, implying she can similarly “adorn” and elevate his royal life within the city.

What is a practical takeaway from this verse for modern life?

It highlights how attraction and praise can bind one deeper to worldly identity; the Bhagavatam’s lesson is to redirect admiration and desire toward the divine (Viṣṇu) rather than mere bodily or social fascination.