Shloka 38

Śakaṭa-bhañjana, Naming by Garga, Dāmodara and Yamala-arjuna, and the Move to Vṛndāvana

Devanagari script

ऊहुर् उन्मार्गवाहीनि निम्नगाम्भांसि सर्वतः मनांसि दुर्विनीतानां प्राप्य लक्ष्मीं नवाम् इव

Transliteration

ūhur unmārgavāhīni nimnagāmbhāṃsi sarvataḥ manāṃsi durvinītānāṃ prāpya lakṣmīṃ navām iva

Translation

As waters that flow downward are driven in every direction into wayward channels, so too the minds of the undisciplined—upon gaining new prosperity—are scattered and led astray.

Word by Word

• ऊहुः: carried/bore
• ऊहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम (ऊहुः = they carried)

• उन्मार्गवाहीनि: flowing out of their course
• उन्मार्गवाहीनि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत् (उपसर्ग) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + वाहिन् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √वह्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (उन्मार्गे वाहीनि = flowing off the proper path)

• निम्नगाम्भांसि: the waters of rivers
• निम्नगाम्भांसि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निम्नग (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्भस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (निम्नगानाम् अम्भांसि = waters of rivers/streams)

• सर्वतः: on all sides/everywhere
• सर्वतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• मनांसि: minds
• मनांसि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• दुर्विनीतानाम्: of the ill-disciplined
• दुर्विनीतानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग/उपपद) + विनीत (कृदन्त; √नी धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (जनसमूहवाचक), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (of the ill-disciplined)

• प्राप्य: having obtained
• प्राप्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभावः; (having obtained/reaching)

• लक्ष्मीम्: fortune/splendor
• लक्ष्मीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नवाम्: new
• नवाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; लक्ष्मीम् इति विशेषणम्

• इव: as if/like
• इव: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक-निपात

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: didactic-with-simile

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: To guide beings toward steadiness in dharma and devotion by revealing, through līlā and instruction, the dangers of uncontrolled mind and desire.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Self-restraint (dama) and right use of prosperity aligned with dharma.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Prosperity without discipline scatters the mind, just as floodwaters break into errant channels.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Treat new gains (money, status, power) as a test: reinforce daily restraint, charity, and focused sādhana before expanding desires.

Vishishtadvaita: Sri (Lakṣmī) is auspicious when aligned with the Lord; when sought apart from dharma it becomes a cause of distraction rather than service (kainkarya).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Characters & Entities

• Lakshmi

FAQs

What is the significance of Lakshmi (prosperity) in this Vishnu Purana verse?

Here “Lakṣmī” signifies newly acquired prosperity; the verse warns that without discipline, wealth becomes a force that diverts the mind into many wrong directions rather than supporting dharma.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the mind’s decline in Kali-yuga in this passage?

Parāśara uses a simile: like naturally downward-flowing waters forced into crooked channels, the undisciplined mind—especially when empowered by new wealth—gets scattered into improper pursuits.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Though Vishnu is not named in this line, the teaching supports Vaishnava dharma: in Kali-yuga, stability and right order are restored by aligning life with dharma and ultimately seeking refuge in the Supreme (Vishnu) rather than being ruled by fortune and impulse.