Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 21

Nārada Instructs Prācīnabarhiṣat: The Purañjana Narrative Begins

City of Nine Gates

Devanagari script

पञ्चशीर्षाहिना गुप्तां प्रतीहारेण सर्वत: । अन्वेषमाणामृषभमप्रौढां कामरूपिणीम् ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

pañca-śīrṣāhinā guptāṁ pratīhāreṇa sarvataḥ anveṣamāṇām ṛṣabham aprauḍhāṁ kāma-rūpiṇīm

Translation

Die Frau war ringsum von einer fünffachköpfigen Schlange beschützt, und zudem von einem Wächter wie einem Türhüter. Sie war jung und überaus schön; obgleich sie ihre Gestalt nach Wunsch wandeln konnte, schien sie unruhig nach einem passenden Gemahl zu suchen.

Synonyms

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; समासाङ्ग (in compound)

• शीर्ष: head
• शीर्ष: Samāsa-aṅga (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शीर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (stem in compound)

• अहिना: by a five-headed serpent
• अहिना: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति एकवचन; समासः: पञ्च-शीर्ष-अहिना (तत्पुरुष: ‘by a five-headed serpent’)

• गुप्ताम्: guarded
• गुप्ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गुप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘protected/guarded’

• प्रतीहारेण: by a doorkeeper/attendant
• प्रतीहारेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतीहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति एकवचन

• सर्वतः: on all sides
• सर्वतः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, दिशावाचक/पर्याय (adverb: ‘on all sides’)

• अन्वेषमाणाम्: seeking
• अन्वेषमाणाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + इष्/एष् (धातु ‘to seek’) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present middle participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘seeking’

• ऋषभम्: a bull
• ऋषभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति एकवचन

• अप्रौढाम्: young
• अप्रौढाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्रौढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति एकवचन; ‘not fully grown/young’

• काम: desire/at will
• काम: Samāsa-aṅga (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (stem in compound)

• रूपिणीम्: able to assume any form
• रूपिणीम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति एकवचन; समासः: काम-रूपिणी (तत्पुरुष: ‘having form at will’)

Purport

The vital force of a living entity includes the five kinds of air working within the body, which are known as prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, samāna and udāna. The vital force is compared to a serpent because a serpent can live by simply drinking air. The vital force carried by the air is described as the pratīhāra, or the bodyguard. Without the vital force one cannot live for a moment. Indeed, all the senses are working under the protection of the vital force.

Characters & Entities

• Purañjana
• the young girl (allegorical figure)
• five-hooded serpent
• gatekeeper

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about desire taking many forms?

This verse describes the girl as kāma-rūpiṇī—able to assume any form—showing how desire adapts to different situations to attract the conditioned soul.

Who is speaking this verse in Canto 4 Chapter 25, and to whom?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī speaks this verse to Mahārāja Parīkṣit while narrating the allegorical story of Purañjana.

How can this teaching be applied in modern life?

Recognize how desires change shape to capture attention, and strengthen inner “guardians” through sādhana—hearing, chanting, and disciplined living—so the mind does not become ruled by shifting cravings.