Shloka 6

Devanagari script

कन्योपगूढो नष्टश्री: कृपणो विषयात्मक: । नष्टप्रज्ञो हृतैश्वर्यो गन्धर्वयवनैर्बलात् ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

kanyopagūḍho naṣṭa-śrīḥ kṛpaṇo viṣayātmakaḥ naṣṭa-prajño hṛtaiśvaryo gandharva-yavanair balāt

Translation

Embraced by Kālakanyā, King Purañjana gradually lost his beauty. Addicted to sense pleasure, his intelligence grew poor, his opulence was taken away, and the Gandharvas and Yavanas conquered him by force.

Synonyms

• कन्या-उपगूढः: embraced/overpowered by the girl
• कन्या-उपगूढः: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक) + उपगूढ (कृदन्त; √गुह्/गूह् (धातु) उपसर्ग-उप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि/कर्मणि क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle) ‘उपगूढ’

• नष्ट-श्रीः: whose fortune/splendor is lost
• नष्ट-श्रीः: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नष्ट (कृदन्त; √नश् (धातु) क्त) + श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि—‘यस्य श्रीः नष्टा’

• कृपणः: miserly/wretched
• कृपणः: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृपण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विषय-आत्मकः: sense-object oriented
• विषय-आत्मकः: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विषय (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष—‘विषयः आत्मा यस्य/विषयात्मक’

• नष्ट-प्रज्ञः: whose intelligence is lost
• नष्ट-प्रज्ञः: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नष्ट (कृदन्त; √नश् क्त) + प्रज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि—‘यस्य प्रज्ञा नष्टा’

• हृत-ऐश्वर्यः: whose power/sovereignty has been taken away
• हृत-ऐश्वर्यः: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृत (कृदन्त; √हृ (धातु) क्त) + ऐश्वर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि—‘यस्य ऐश्वर्यं हृतम्’

• गन्धर्व-यवनैः: by the Gandharvas and Yavanas
• गन्धर्व-यवनैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + यवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (इतरेतर)

• बलात्: forcibly
• बलात्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बलात् (अव्यय; बल (प्रातिपदिक) + तसिल्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिलन्त-क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)

Purport

When a person is attacked by the invalidity of old age and is still addicted to sense gratification, he gradually loses all his personal beauty, intelligence and good possessions. He thus cannot resist the forceful attack of the daughter of Time.

Characters & Entities

• King Purañjana
• the maiden (allegorical queen/intelligence)

FAQs

What is the meaning of Gandharvas and Yavanas in Srimad Bhagavatam 4.28?

In King Purañjana’s allegory, the Gandharvas and Yavanas symbolize the irresistible movement of time—especially days and nights—which forcibly diminishes one’s strength, beauty, and worldly opulence.

Who is being described in Bhagavatam 4.28.6 and why?

Śukadeva describes King Purañjana (representing the conditioned soul) to show how attachment to sensual enjoyment makes one spiritually miserly, ruins discernment, and leaves one helpless before time.

How can I apply the lesson of Bhagavatam 4.28.6 in modern life?

Recognize how time steadily drains energy and opportunities; reduce sense-driven habits, cultivate discernment through sādhana (hearing/chanting), and invest life in devotion rather than temporary status and pleasure.