Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 21

Duryodhana’s Envy at Yudhiṣṭhira’s Rājasūya and the Avabhṛtha Festival

Devanagari script

सस्‍नुस्तत्र तत: सर्वे वर्णाश्रमयुता नरा: । महापातक्यपि यत: सद्यो मुच्येत किल्बिषात् ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

sasnus tatra tataḥ sarve varṇāśrama-yutā narāḥ mahā-pātaky api yataḥ sadyo mucyeta kilbiṣāt

Translation

Then all the citizens, belonging to the various varṇa and āśrama orders, bathed there, in that place where even the most grievous sinner is said to be immediately freed from all sinful reactions.

Synonyms

• sasnuḥ: they bathed
• sasnuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• tataḥ: then/from there
• tataḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), अपादान/क्रमवाचक (from there/then)

• sarve: all
• sarve: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of नराः)

• varṇa-āśrama-yutāḥ: endowed with (their) varṇa and āśrama
• varṇa-āśrama-yutāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक) + युत (कृदन्त, युज् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—वर्णाश्रम (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/निर्देश-तत्पुरुष) + युत (क्त/त participle used adjectivally); विशेषण (of नराः)

• narāḥ: men/people
• narāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• mahā-pātakī: a great sinner
• mahā-pātakī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महापातकिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; ‘महापातक’ इति कर्मधारयः + इन्-प्रत्ययान्त; (generic singular: ‘even a great sinner’)

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-भाव (even/also)

• yataḥ: whereby/from which
• yataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, हेतुवाचक/यत्-सम्बन्ध (relative: from which/whereby)

• sadyaḥ: immediately
• sadyaḥ: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सद्यः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (adverb of time)

• mucyeta: would be freed
• mucyeta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative/potential), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense)

• kilbiṣāt: from sin/impurity
• kilbiṣāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किल्बिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case/ablative), एकवचन

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about purification by bathing in a holy place (tīrtha-snāna)?

This verse states that bathing at that sacred place is reputed to free even a great sinner from sinful contamination immediately.

Who is speaking this verse in Bhagavatam 10.75.21, and to whom?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī narrates this to King Parīkṣit while describing the events surrounding the royal assembly and its sacred rites.

How can a devotee apply the teaching of this verse in modern life?

Approach sacred practices with faith and purity—regularly engage in tīrtha remembrance, devotional bathing/cleanliness, and sincere repentance—seeking inner transformation rather than mere ritual.