Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 23

Vāmanadeva Praises Bali; the Measure of Three Steps; Śukrācārya Warns Against the Gift

Devanagari script

सप्तद्वीपाधिपतयो नृपा वैन्यगयादय: । अर्थै: कामैर्गता नान्तं तृष्णाया इति न: श्रुतम् ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

sapta-dvīpādhipatayo nṛpā vaiṇya-gayādayaḥ arthaiḥ kāmair gatā nāntaṁ tṛṣṇāyā iti naḥ śrutam

Translation

Wir haben gehört, dass selbst mächtige Könige wie Mahārāja Pṛthu (Vainya) und Mahārāja Gaya, obwohl sie die sieben dvīpas beherrschten, kein Ende der Gier nach Reichtum und Genuss fanden.

Synonyms

• सप्त-द्वीप-अधिपतयः: rulers of the seven islands
• सप्त-द्वीप-अधिपतयः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वीप (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘सप्तद्वीपानाम् अधिपतयः’

• नृपाः: kings
• नृपाः: कर्ता (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• वैन्य-गय-आदयः: Vainya, Gaya and others
• वैन्य-गय-आदयः: कर्ता (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + गय (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; समाहार/सूच्य-समास: ‘वैन्यः गयः आदयः’ = Vainya, Gaya, etc.

• अर्थैः: by wealth/objects
• अर्थैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• कामैः: by desires/pleasures
• कामैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• गताः: having gone/attained
• गताः: कर्ता (Predicate/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त PPP: ‘gone/attained’ (agreeing with नृपाः)

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• अन्तम्: end/limit
• अन्तम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• तृष्णायाः: of craving
• तृष्णायाः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृष्णा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• नः: of us/our
• नः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध) बहुवचन; enclitic pronoun

• श्रुतम्: has been heard
• श्रुतम्: क्रिया (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त used predicatively: ‘has been heard’ (impersonal passive sense)

Characters & Entities

• Vainya (King Vena’s line/Prithu as Vainya)
• Gaya

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about unlimited desire for wealth and pleasure?

This verse states that even world-ruling kings who obtained immense wealth and enjoyment could not reach the end of craving; material acquisition does not exhaust desire.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī mention kings like Vainya and Gaya here?

He uses renowned examples of powerful, prosperous rulers to show that even the greatest material success cannot satisfy tṛṣṇā, highlighting the need for higher spiritual fulfillment.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Recognize the “more and more” loop of consumption, set limits, and redirect ambition toward sādhana—devotion, self-discipline, and service—where lasting satisfaction is found.