Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 25

Purūravā’s Song of Renunciation and the Glory of Sādhu-saṅga

Devanagari script

श्रीभगवानुवाच एवं प्रगायन् नृपदेवदेव: स उर्वशीलोकमथो विहाय । आत्मानमात्मन्यवगम्य मां वै उपारमज्ज्ञानविधूतमोह: ॥ २५ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-bhagavān uvāca evaṁ pragāyan nṛpa-deva-devaḥ sa urvaśī-lokam atho vihāya ātmānam ātmany avagamya māṁ vai upāramaj jñāna-vidhūta-mohaḥ

Translation

The Supreme Lord said: Having thus sung this song, Mahārāja Purūravā—foremost among gods and men—abandoned the position he had attained in Urvaśī’s realm. His delusion washed away by transcendental knowledge, he realized Me as the Paramātmā within his heart and at last found peace.

Synonyms

• śrī-bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• śrī-bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुं), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; honorific title ‘the glorious Lord’

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• evam: thus
• evam: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) ‘thus/in this manner’

• pragāyan: singing
• pragāyan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + gā (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ-कृदन्त), Masculine (पुं), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; ‘singing forth’

• nṛpa-deva-devaḥ: the lord of the lords of kings
• nṛpa-deva-devaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुं), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; tatpuruṣa: ‘deva of deva of kings’ i.e., ‘lord of the lords of kings’

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; pronoun referring to the subject

• urvaśī-lokam: Urvaśī’s world
• urvaśī-lokam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: urvaśī (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुं), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; ‘world/realm of Urvaśī’

• atha: then
• atha: Anukrama (अनुक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Discourse particle (अनन्तर/आरम्भसूचक) ‘then/now’

• u: indeed
• u: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: u (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• vihāya: having left
• vihāya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + hā (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय; ल्यप्) ‘having abandoned’

• ātmānam: the self
• ātmānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुं), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; reflexive object

• ātmani: in the self
• ātmani: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुं), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular

• avagamya: having realized
• avagamya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava + gam (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्) ‘having understood/realized’

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; 1st person pronoun

• vai: indeed
• vai: Niscaya (निश्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निश्चयार्थक-निपात)

• upāramat: he ceased
• upāramat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa + ram (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; ‘ceased/desisted’

• jñāna-vidhūta-mohaḥ: whose delusion was dispelled by knowledge
• jñāna-vidhūta-mohaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhūta (कृदन्त; from vi+√dhū) + moha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुं), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; bahuvrīhi: ‘whose delusion is shaken off by knowledge’

Characters & Entities

• Pururava
• Urvashi
• Sri Bhagavan (Krishna)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about overcoming attachment to sensual love (Urvashi and Pururava)?

This verse concludes that Purūravā gives up Urvaśī’s association and becomes peaceful by self-realization and realization of the Lord, with delusion destroyed by true knowledge.

Why did Lord Krishna narrate the story of Pururava to Uddhava in Canto 11?

Krishna uses Purūravā’s transformation—from infatuation to renunciation—to teach Uddhava that attachment binds the mind, but knowledge and turning inward lead to peace and God-realization.

Practical application of self-realization and detachment in modern life?

Recognize how desire-driven relationships or pursuits disturb the mind, cultivate discernment, and re-center life on the soul’s identity and devotion to God—then agitation naturally subsides.