Shloka 9

Devanagari script

तस्यां चक्रु: स्पृहां सर्वे ससुरासुरमानवा: । रूपौदार्यवयोवर्णमहिमाक्षिप्तचेतस: ॥ ९ ॥

Transliteration

tasyāṁ cakruḥ spṛhāṁ sarve sasurāsura-mānavāḥ rūpaudārya-vayo-varṇa- mahimākṣipta-cetasaḥ

Translation

Enchanted by her exquisite beauty—her graceful form, youth, complexion, and glory—all beings, demigods, demons, and humans alike, longed for her, for she is the very source of all opulences.

Synonyms

• तस्याम्: in her (in that woman)
• तस्याम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (7th/Locative), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम्

• चक्रुः: they made/did
• चक्रुः: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• स्पृहाम्: desire/longing
• स्पृहाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पृहा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम्

• स-सुर-असुर-मानवाः: the gods, demons, and humans together
• स-सुर-असुर-मानवाः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + असुर (प्रातिपदिक) + मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समासः; पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; ‘स’ = सह (with)

• रूप-औदार्य-वयः-वर्ण-महिमा-आक्षिप्त-चेतसः: whose minds were captivated by (her) beauty, generosity, youth, complexion, and glory
• रूप-औदार्य-वयः-वर्ण-महिमा-आक्षिप्त-चेतसः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Kartā-viśeṣaṇa/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + औदार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वयस् (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + महिमा (प्रातिपदिक) + आ-क्षिप् (धातु) + चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समासः; पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; ‘आक्षिप्त’ = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) from आ+क्षिप्; विशेषणम् ‘सर्वे’ इत्यस्य

Purport

Who in this world does not want to possess wealth, beauty and the social respectability that come from these opulences? People generally desire material enjoyment, material opulence and the association of aristocratic family members ( bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānām ). Material enjoyment entails money, beauty and the reputation they bring, which can all be achieved by the mercy of the goddess of fortune. The goddess of fortune, however, never remains alone. As indicated in the previous verse by the word bhagavat-parā, she is the property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is enjoyable only by Him. If one wants the favor of the goddess of fortune, mother Lakṣmī, because she is by nature bhagavat-parā one must keep her with Nārāyaṇa. The devotees who always engage in the service of Nārāyaṇa ( nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa ) can easily achieve the favor of the goddess of fortune without a doubt, but materialists who try to get the favor of the goddess of fortune only to possess her for personal enjoyment are frustrated. Theirs is not a good policy. The celebrated demon Rāvaṇa, for example, wanted to deprive Rāmacandra of Lakṣmī, Sītā, and thus be victorious, but the result was just the opposite. Sītā, of course, was taken by force by Lord Rāmacandra, and Rāvaṇa and his entire material empire were vanquished. The goddess of fortune is desirable for everyone, including human beings, but one should understand that the goddess of fortune is the exclusive property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One cannot achieve the mercy of the goddess of fortune unless one prays both to her and to the supreme enjoyer, the Personality of Godhead.

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about how beauty can captivate the mind?

This verse says that extraordinary beauty and splendor can seize the mind of anyone—devas, asuras, and humans—producing intense longing and distraction.

Who is being described as so attractive that everyone desired her?

In this chapter’s narrative of the churning of the milk ocean, the verse refers to the supremely enchanting female form that appeared in the episode (commonly connected with Mohinī’s captivating beauty in this sequence of events).

What is the practical application of this shloka in modern life?

It warns that attraction can overpower discernment; therefore one should cultivate self-control and devotional focus so the mind is not carried away by внешняя glamour and desire.