Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 53

Parīkṣit’s Inquiry into Vṛtrāsura’s Bhakti and the Beginning of Citraketu’s Trial

Devanagari script

स्तनद्वयं कुङ्कुमपङ्कमण्डितं निषिञ्चती साञ्जनबाष्पबिन्दुभि: । विकीर्य केशान् विगलत्स्रज: सुतं शुशोच चित्रं कुररीव सुस्वरम् ॥ ५३ ॥

Transliteration

stana-dvayaṁ kuṅkuma-paṅka-maṇḍitaṁ niṣiñcatī sāñjana-bāṣpa-bindubhiḥ vikīrya keśān vigalat-srajaḥ sutaṁ śuśoca citraṁ kurarīva susvaram

Translation

The garland of flowers decorating the Queen’s head fell, and her hair scattered. Falling tears melted the collyrium on her eyes and moistened her breasts, which were covered with kuṅkuma powder. As she lamented the loss of her son, her loud crying resembled the sweet sound of a kurarī bird.

Synonyms

• stana-dvayam: the two breasts
• stana-dvayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: stana (प्रातिपदिक) + dvi (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; dvigu: ‘pair of breasts’

• kuṅkuma-paṅka-maṇḍitam: adorned with saffron paste
• kuṅkuma-paṅka-maṇḍitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kuṅkuma (प्रातिपदिक) + paṅka (प्रातिपदिक) + maṇḍita (कृदन्त) < maṇḍ (धातु)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifying stana-dvayam: ‘adorned with saffron-mud/paste’

• niṣiñcatī: sprinkling
• niṣiñcatī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-sic (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘sprinkling’

• sa-añjana-bāṣpa-bindubhiḥ: with collyrium-mixed tear-drops
• sa-añjana-bāṣpa-bindubhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa (सह) + añjana (प्रातिपदिक) + bāṣpa (प्रातिपदिक) + bindu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; ‘with tear-drops mixed with collyrium’

• vikīrya: having scattered
• vikīrya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-kṝ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), having scattered

• keśān: hair (locks)
• keśān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: keśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural

• vigalat-srajaḥ: whose garland was slipping off
• vigalat-srajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-galat (कृदन्त) < gal (धातु) + sraj (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; bahuvrīhi: ‘she whose garland is slipping/falling’

• sutam: son
• sutam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• śuśoca: grieved, lamented
• śuśoca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śuc (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; parasmaipada

• citram: strangely / wondrously
• citram: Viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: citra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (क्रियाविशेषण-रूपे द्वितीया)

• kurarī-iva: like a kurarī-bird
• kurarī-iva: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kurarī (प्रातिपदिक) + iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Simile particle iva (उपमा-अव्यय) with noun; kurarī feminine nominative singular used for comparison

• su-svaram: in a very sweet (piercing) tone
• su-svaram: Viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + svara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) avyayībhāva: ‘with a very sweet voice’

Characters & Entities

• Kṛtadyuti (the Queen of Citraketu)
• Citraketu
• the prince (Citraketu’s son)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about grief after losing a child?

This verse depicts the queen’s intense, bodily visible sorrow—showing how material attachment naturally produces overwhelming grief when separation comes.

Why is the queen compared to a kurarī bird in Bhagavatam 6.14?

The kurarī is known for a piercing, plaintive cry; the comparison highlights the queen’s sweet yet heartbreaking lamentation as she mourns her son.

Practical application: how does this shloka help in modern life when facing loss?

It reminds a reader that grief is a natural outcome of deep attachment; Bhagavatam uses such scenes to turn the mind toward detachment and refuge in bhakti as the lasting support.