Devi Bhagavatam 4.21.31 — Devi as Supreme Shakti, Skandha 4, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 31

The Description of the Killing of Devaki's First Son by Kamsa

Devanagari script

तस्माच्छोको न कर्तव्यो देहिना हि निरर्थकः । सत्यं यस्य गतं कान्ते वृथा तस्यैव जीवितम्

Transliteration

tasmācchoko na kartavyo dehinā hi nirarthakaḥ . satyaṃ yasya gataṃ kānte vṛthā tasyaiva jīvitam

Translation

Daher sollte man nicht trauern, da Kummer für verkörperte Wesen nutzlos ist. O Geliebte, das Leben ist völlig vergeblich für jemanden, der die Wahrheit aufgegeben hat.

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: tad
• Form: Ablative, Singular, Neuter

• śokaḥ: sorrow
• śokaḥ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: śoka
• Form: Nominative, Singular, Masculine

• na: not
• na: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na
• Form: Indeclinable

• kartavyaḥ: to be done
• kartavyaḥ: Vidheya
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ
• Form: Nominative, Singular, Masculine, Potential Participle (tavya)

• dehinā: by the embodied soul
• dehinā: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: dehin
• Form: Instrumental, Singular, Masculine

• hi: indeed
• hi: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi
• Form: Indeclinable

• nirarthakaḥ: meaningless/useless
• nirarthakaḥ: Vidheya
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirarthaka
• Form: Nominative, Singular, Masculine

• satyam: truth
• satyam: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya
• Form: Nominative, Singular, Neuter

• yasya: whose
• yasya: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: yad
• Form: Genitive, Singular, Masculine

• gatam: gone/lost
• gatam: Vidheya
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gam
• Form: Nominative, Singular, Neuter, Past Passive Participle (kta)

• kānte: O beloved
• kānte: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāntā
• Form: Vocative, Singular, Feminine

• vṛthā: in vain
• vṛthā: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vṛthā
• Form: Indeclinable

• tasya: his
• tasya: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: tad
• Form: Genitive, Singular, Masculine

• eva: only/indeed
• eva: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva
• Form: Indeclinable

• jīvitam: life
• jīvitam: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvita
• Form: Nominative, Singular, Neuter

Speaker

Vasudeva

Shakti Theology

Devi Form: null

Mahavidya Connection: null

Shakti Manifestation: null

Tattva Discussed: null

Devi Narrative

Demon Antagonist: null

Devi Weapon Used: null

Narrative Source: null

Story Arc Position: setup

Tantra Dimension

Mantra Referenced: null

Yantra Referenced: null

Kundalini Element: null

Chakra Referenced: null

Tantric Practice Type: null

Bhakti & Stuti

Stuti Type: null

Recitation Occasion: null

Phala Shruti: null

Devotee Offering Stuti: null

Cosmic Feminine

Maya Aspect: null

Creation Role: null

Shakti Philosophy: null

Relation To Brahman: null

Vyasa-Janamejaya Dialogue

Narrator: Vyasa

Listener: Janamejaya

Dialogue Context: Vasudeva emphasizing the supremacy of truth over grief to Devaki.

Narrative Layer: embedded

Ritual Context

Text: None

Philosophical Significance

Text: Elevates the virtue of Satya (truth) above physical survival, a core tenet of Vedic and Puranic ethics.

Characters & Entities

• Devaki
• Satya

FAQs

Why does Vasudeva advise against grief?

Vasudeva advises against grief because it is useless for embodied beings bound by destiny.

What makes life useless according to this verse?

Life is considered completely useless and vain for a person who has forsaken truth.