Shloka 4

Devanagari script

पुंसां श्लाघ्यतमं मन्ये दण्डमर्हत्तमार्पितम् । यं न माता पिता भ्राता सुहृदश्चादिशन्ति हि ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

puṁsāṁ ślāghyatamaṁ manye daṇḍam arhattamārpitam yaṁ na mātā pitā bhrātā suhṛdaś cādiśanti hi

Translation

Among men, I deem most praiseworthy the punishment bestowed by the most worshipable Lord. A mother, father, brother, or friend may chastise out of goodwill, yet they do not punish a subordinate like this; but because You are the supreme Lord, I regard Your punishment as most exalted.

Synonyms

• पुंसाम्: of men
• पुंसाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंस्/पुम्स् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• श्लाघ्यतमम्: most praiseworthy
• श्लाघ्यतमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्लाघ्यतम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; दण्डम् इति विशेषण; अतिशय (superlative)

• मन्ये: I consider
• मन्ये: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• दण्डम्: punishment
• दण्डम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अर्हत्तम-अर्पितम्: bestowed on the most deserving
• अर्हत्तम-अर्पितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्हत्तम + अर्पित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; अर्प्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; दण्डम् इति विशेषण; समासः—कर्मधारय (अर्हत्तमः अर्पितः)

• यम्: which
• यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• माता: mother
• माता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पिता: father
• पिता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भ्राता: brother
• भ्राता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सुहृदः: friends, well-wishers
• सुहृदः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• आदिशन्ति: recommend, prescribe
• आदिशन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+दिश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

Purport

Punishment meted out by the Supreme Personality of Godhead is accepted by the devotee as the greatest mercy.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Śrī Hari (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Lord’s punishment being mercy?

This verse teaches that when the Supreme Lord administers fitting chastisement, it is actually most praiseworthy—because it reforms the soul in a way that even loving relatives cannot accomplish.

Why did Indra speak about punishment to Lord Viṣṇu in Canto 8?

In the context of the Lord’s intervention and protection of His devotee, Indra acknowledges that the Lord’s corrective discipline is perfect and beneficial, unlike ordinary worldly correction.

Practical application of divine chastisement in modern life?

See setbacks and corrections as opportunities for inner reform—accept responsibility, align actions with dharma, and take guidance from scripture and saintly counsel rather than resisting egoically.