Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 18

Yayāti, Devayānī, Śarmiṣṭhā, and the Exchange of Youth: The Unsatisfied Nature of Desire

Devanagari script

तस्यां गतायां स्वगृहं ययातिर्मृगयां चरन् । प्राप्तो यद‍ृच्छया कूपे जलार्थी तां ददर्श ह ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

tasyāṁ gatāyāṁ sva-gṛhaṁ yayātir mṛgayāṁ caran prāpto yadṛcchayā kūpe jalārthī tāṁ dadarśa ha

Translation

Tras arrojar a Devayānī al pozo, Śarmiṣṭhā regresó a su casa. Entretanto, el rey Yayāti, de cacería, llegó por azar a aquel pozo en busca de agua y allí vio a Devayānī.

Synonyms

• तस्याम्: in her/when she
• तस्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण) एकवचन; pronoun referring to her

• गतायाम्: having gone (when she had gone)
• गतायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘गता’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन; locative absolute with तस्याम्

• स्वगृहम्: to his own house
• स्वगृहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-गृह (प्रातिपदिक); components: स्व + गृह
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म) एकवचन; goal/object with motion

• ययातिः: Yayāti
• ययातिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ययाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता) एकवचन

• मृगयाम्: hunting
• मृगयाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृगया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म) एकवचन; object of चरन् (engaged in)

• चरन्: roaming/engaged in
• चरन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; agreeing with ययातिः

• प्राप्तः: having arrived
• प्राप्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘having arrived’

• यदृच्छया: by chance
• यदृच्छया: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यदृच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/हेतु) एकवचन; instrumental of chance

• कूपे: at/in the well
• कूपे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण) एकवचन

• जलार्थी: seeking water
• जलार्थी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जल-अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक); components: जल + अर्थिन्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; adjective to ययातिः

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म) एकवचन

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ह: indeed
• ह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), emphasis/indeed

Characters & Entities

• Yayāti
• Śarmiṣṭhā

FAQs

What happens when King Yayāti goes hunting in Srimad Bhagavatam 9.18?

While wandering on a hunting trip, Yayāti comes to a well in search of water and sees Śarmiṣṭhā there.

Why is Śarmiṣṭhā found in a well in the Yayāti story?

In the surrounding narrative, Śarmiṣṭhā ends up in the well due to the conflict with Devayānī; this verse marks the moment Yayāti encounters her by chance.

What practical lesson does this shloka give for modern life?

Seemingly accidental meetings can become turning points; therefore one should act with dharma and compassion when encountering others in distress.