Shloka 18

Citraketu Offends Śiva, Is Cursed by Pārvatī, and Is Glorified as a Vaiṣṇava

Devanagari script

संसारचक्र एतस्मिञ्जन्तुरज्ञानमोहित: । भ्राम्यन् सुखं च दु:खं च भुङ्क्ते सर्वत्र सर्वदा ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

saṁsāra-cakra etasmiñ jantur ajñāna-mohitaḥ bhrāmyan sukhaṁ ca duḥkhaṁ ca bhuṅkte sarvatra sarvadā

Translation

In diesem Kreislauf des Saṁsāra irrt das Lebewesen, von Unwissenheit verblendet, umher und erfährt überall und jederzeit Glück und Leid als Früchte früherer Taten.

Synonyms

• संसारचक्रे: in the wheel of saṁsāra
• संसारचक्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार + चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (संसारस्य चक्रम्)

• एतस्मिन्: in this
• एतस्मिन्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (संसारचक्रे)

• जन्तुः: the living being
• जन्तुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अज्ञानमोहितः: deluded by ignorance
• अज्ञानमोहितः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज्ञान + मोहित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अज्ञानेन मोहितः)

• भ्राम्यन्: wandering
• भ्राम्यन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/न्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि; सहायक-क्रिया (concomitant action)

• सुखम्: happiness
• सुखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• दुःखम्: suffering
• दुःखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• भुङ्क्ते: experiences, enjoys/suffers
• भुङ्क्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• सर्वत्र: everywhere
• सर्वत्र: Deshadhikarana (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kaladhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

Purport

As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (3.27) :

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the cycle of birth and death (saṁsāra)?

It describes saṁsāra as a revolving wheel in which the deluded soul keeps wandering, repeatedly experiencing alternating happiness and distress.

Who is speaking this verse in Canto 6 Chapter 17?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī speaks this instruction while narrating the events surrounding Citraketu and the deeper lesson about conditioned life.

Practical application: how can I stay steady when life alternates between happiness and sorrow?

Remember that both are recurring outcomes of wandering in ignorance; cultivate spiritual knowledge and devotion so you are not mentally carried away by either.