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Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 24

Purūravā’s Song of Renunciation and the Glory of Sādhu-saṅga

तस्मात् सङ्गो न कर्तव्य: स्‍त्रीषु स्‍त्रैणेषु चेन्द्रियै: । विदुषां चाप्यविस्रब्ध: षड्‍वर्ग: किमु माद‍ृशाम् ॥ २४ ॥

tasmāt saṅgo na kartavyaḥ strīṣu straiṇeṣu cendriyaiḥ viduṣāṁ cāpy avisrabdhaḥ ṣaḍ-vargaḥ kim u mādṛśām

Darum soll man den Sinnen keinen freien Umgang mit Frauen oder mit an Frauen haftenden Männern gestatten. Selbst Gelehrte trauen den sechs Feinden des Geistes nicht; wie viel weniger ein Tor wie ich.

tasmāttherefore
tasmāt:
Hetu (हेतु)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormAblatival adverb (तस्मात्-प्रयोगः), ‘therefore/from that’; avyaya functioning as hetu-nirdeśa
saṅgaḥassociation
saṅgaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsaṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)
nanot
na:
Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (निपात/अव्यय)
FormNegation particle (निषेध-निपात)
kartavyaḥshould be done
kartavyaḥ:
Vidhi (विधि/कर्तव्यता)
TypeVerb
Rootkṛ (धातु) + tavya (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
FormGerundive/obligative participle (तव्यत्-कृदन्त), Masculine (पुं), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; sense: ‘to be done/should be done’
strīṣuamong women
strīṣu:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootstrī (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Plural (बहुवचन)
straiṇeṣuamong woman-chasers/effeminate men
straiṇeṣu:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootstraiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुं), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Plural; adjective qualifying implied ‘men’ (नराः)
caand
ca:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormConjunction (समुच्चय)
indriyaiḥby/with the senses
indriyaiḥ:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootindriya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन)
viduṣāmof the wise
viduṣām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootvidvas (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुं), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural; ‘of the wise’
caand
ca:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormConjunction (समुच्चय)
apieven
api:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
FormParticle (निपात), concessive/emphatic ‘even/also’
avisrabdhaḥnot careless
avisrabdhaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roota- + visrabdha (प्रातिपदिक; from √srambh/√śrambh)
FormMasculine (पुं), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; negative prefix a-; ‘not careless/not overconfident’
ṣaṭ-vargaḥthe sixfold group (of passions)
ṣaṭ-vargaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootṣaṭ (संख्या) + varga (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुं), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; dvigu-samāsa denoting ‘group of six’
kimwhat then/how much more
kim:
Praśna (प्रश्न)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootkim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormInterrogative particle used idiomatically with ‘u’ (किमु) = ‘how much more/what then’
uindeed/then
u:
Praśna (प्रश्न)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootu (अव्यय)
FormInterrogative/emphatic particle (निपात)
mādṛśāmof people like me
mādṛśām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootmādṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुं), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural; ‘of persons like me/us’
U
Uddhava
Ś
Śrī Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

This verse advises that one should not let the senses cultivate intimate attachment with women or with those obsessed with women, because such association easily agitates lust and other inner enemies, obstructing spiritual progress.

In the Uddhava-gītā section, Kṛṣṇa teaches renunciation and inner discipline before His departure from the world, warning Uddhava that even the learned must remain vigilant against the six inner enemies, so a sincere seeker should be especially cautious.

Practice respectful boundaries, avoid media and company that inflame uncontrolled desire, keep uplifting sādhusanga, and redirect the senses into bhakti—hearing, chanting, and service—so restraint becomes purposeful rather than negative.