Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 10

Pūru-vaṁśa, Duṣmanta–Śakuntalā, and the Rise of Mahārāja Bharata

Devanagari script

तद्दर्शनप्रमुदित: सन्निवृत्तपरिश्रम: । पप्रच्छ कामसन्तप्त: प्रहसञ्श्लक्ष्णया गिरा ॥ १० ॥

Transliteration

tad-darśana-pramuditaḥ sannivṛtta-pariśramaḥ papraccha kāma-santaptaḥ prahasañ ślakṣṇayā girā

Translation

Als er sie sah, wurde der König freudig erquickt, und seine Müdigkeit wich. Von Begierde erhitzt, fragte er sie lächelnd mit sanfter, feiner Rede.

Synonyms

• तत्-दर्शन-प्रमुदितः: delighted at seeing her
• तत्-दर्शन-प्रमुदितः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमुदित (कृदन्त; √मुद् धातु, क्त/PPP)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (हेतु/सम्बन्ध): ‘तस्य दर्शनात् प्रमुदितः’ (delighted due to seeing her)

• सन्निवृत्त-परिश्रमः: whose fatigue had subsided
• सन्निवृत्त-परिश्रमः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सन्निवृत्त (कृदन्त; √वृत्/√वृत्त् धातु, क्त/PPP) + परिश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—बहुव्रीहि: ‘सन्निवृत्तः परिश्रमः यस्य सः’ (whose fatigue had ceased)

• पप्रच्छ: asked
• पप्रच्छ: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्/परस्मैपद? (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; रूपम्—पप्रच्छ (he asked)

• काम-सन्तप्तः: burning with desire
• काम-सन्तप्तः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्तप्त (कृदन्त; √तप् धातु, क्त/PPP)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (हेतु): ‘कामेन सन्तप्तः’ (tormented by desire)

• प्रहसन्: smiling
• प्रहसन्: कर्ता-विशेषण (Adverbial participle of subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हस् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—शतृ (Present active participle) ‘प्रहसन्’ (smiling/laughing), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• श्लक्ष्णया: with gentle
• श्लक्ष्णया: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्लक्ष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषणं ‘गिरा’ (with gentle speech)

• गिरा: speech/words
• गिरा: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिर्/गिरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

Characters & Entities

• Purūravā
• Urvaśī

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about desire arising from seeing beauty?

This verse shows that mere sight can ignite kāma (desire); Purūravā becomes “kāma-santaptaḥ” upon seeing Urvaśī, illustrating how sense perception can immediately disturb the mind.

Why did Pururava speak gently and smile while being overcome by desire?

Although internally burning with attraction, he approached Urvaśī outwardly with refined, pleasing speech—showing how lust often disguises itself as politeness and charm in social interaction.

Practical application: how can I control desire triggered by what I see?

Guard the senses, pause before engaging, and redirect attention toward higher remembrance (such as prayer, japa, or scriptural reflection); the verse highlights that the trigger begins at “darśana” (seeing).