Shloka 5

Devanagari script

निमित्तान्यत्यरिष्टानि काले त्वनुगते नृणाम् । लोभाद्यधर्मप्रकृतिं द‍ृष्ट्वोवाचानुजं नृप: ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

nimittāny atyariṣṭāni kāle tv anugate nṛṇām lobhādy-adharma-prakṛtiṁ dṛṣṭvovācānujaṁ nṛpaḥ

Translation

As time went on, exceedingly inauspicious omens appeared among men. Seeing their adharma-born nature—greed, anger, pride, and the like—King Yudhiṣṭhira spoke to his younger brother.

Synonyms

• निमित्तानि: omens/causes
• निमित्तानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निमित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अति-अरिष्टानि: very inauspicious
• अति-अरिष्टानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + अरिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (अत्यन्तं अरिष्टानि)

• काले: in (that) time
• काले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वयार्थक (but/indeed)

• अनुगते: having arrived/advanced
• अनुगते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु + √गम् (धातु) → अनुगत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘when time had come/advanced’ (locative absolute sense with काले)

• नृणाम्: of men/people
• नृणाम्: Sambandha/Genitive (सम्बन्ध-षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• लोभ-आदि-अधर्म-प्रकृतिम्: a nature of irreligion such as greed
• लोभ-आदि-अधर्म-प्रकृतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोभ (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययार्थ) + अधर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (लोभादयः अधर्माः यस्याः सा प्रकृतिः / लोभादि-अधर्मरूपा प्रकृतिः)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (क्त्वान्त), पूर्वकाल (having seen)

• उवाच: said/spoke
• उवाच: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अनुजम्: younger brother
• अनुजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Purport

Such a pious king as Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira at once became perturbed when there were such inhuman symptoms as greed, anger, irreligiosity and hypocrisy rampant in society. It appears from this statement that all these symptoms of degraded society were unknown to the people of the time, and it was astonishing for them to have experienced them with the advent of the Kali-yuga, or the age of quarrel.

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Bhīma

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about omens and inauspicious signs?

This verse states that as time advanced, extremely inauspicious omens appeared and irreligious tendencies like greed rose among people—signals that a grave transition was unfolding.

Why did Yudhishthira speak to Bhima in this verse?

Yudhiṣṭhira observed alarming portents and the rise of adharma in society, prompting him to consult and speak with his younger brother Bhīma about the troubling situation.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

When greed, dishonesty, and moral decline increase around us, the Bhagavatam encourages alertness, reflection, and seeking wise counsel—responding with dharma rather than panic.