Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 5

The Syamantaka Jewel: Accusation, Recovery, and Kṛṣṇa’s Marriage to Satyabhāmā

Devanagari script

तं विलोक्य जना दूरात्तेजसा मुष्टद‍ृष्टय: । दीव्यतेऽक्षैर्भगवते शशंसु: सूर्यशङ्किता: ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

taṁ vilokya janā dūrāt tejasā muṣṭa-dṛṣṭayaḥ dīvyate ’kṣair bhagavate śaśaṁsuḥ sūrya-śaṅkitāḥ

Translation

Seeing him from a distance, the people’s eyes were dazzled by his brilliance. Thinking he might be Sūrya, the sun-god, they went to inform Lord Kṛṣṇa, who at that time was playing at dice.

Synonyms

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• vilokya: having seen
• vilokya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: lok (धातु) + vi + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्), indeclinable; ‘having seen’

• janāḥ: people
• janāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural (बहुवचन)

• dūrāt: from afar
• dūrāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablatival adverb (पञ्चमी-अर्थे अव्यय)

• tejasā: by the brilliance
• tejasā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

• muṣṭa-dṛṣṭayaḥ: with squinting/dazzled eyes
• muṣṭa-dṛṣṭayaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: muṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + dṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; bahuvrīhi: ‘whose eyes are (as if) clenched/closed’ i.e., dazzled

• dīvyate: is playing/gambling
• dīvyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: div (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd Person, Singular; Ātmanepada

• akṣaiḥ: with dice
• akṣaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• bhagavate: to the Lord
• bhagavate: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th), Singular

• śaśaṁsuḥ: they reported/announced
• śaśaṁsuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śaṁs (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person, Plural; Parasmaipada

• sūrya-śaṅkitāḥ: thinking it was the Sun
• sūrya-śaṅkitāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sūrya (प्रातिपदिक) + śaṅkita (प्रातिपदिक/क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; tatpuruṣa: ‘suspecting (him to be) the Sun’

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Sūrya (Sun-god)

FAQs

Why did people think the Sun had appeared in Srimad Bhagavatam 10.56.5?

Because they saw a figure from far away whose intense brilliance dazzled their eyes, so they assumed it must be Sūrya (the Sun-god) and reported it to Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Who is speaking this verse in the Bhagavata Purana?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī narrates this verse while recounting the events of Canto 10, Chapter 56 (the Syamantaka jewel episode) to King Parīkṣit.

What is a practical lesson from this shloka for modern life?

Don’t jump to conclusions based on partial perception—distance, glare, and assumptions can distort reality; seek clarity and confirm facts before spreading reports.