Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 29

Lakṣmī’s Emergence, Dhanvantari, and the Advent of Mohinī-mūrti

Devanagari script

नि:सत्त्वा लोलुपा राजन् निरुद्योगा गतत्रपा: । यदा चोपेक्षिता लक्ष्म्या बभूवुर्दैत्यदानवा: ॥ २९ ॥

Transliteration

niḥsattvā lolupā rājan nirudyogā gata-trapāḥ yadā copekṣitā lakṣmyā babhūvur daitya-dānavāḥ

Translation

Ô roi, délaissés par la déesse Lakṣmī, les daityas et dānavas furent accablés, troublés et frustrés; ils devinrent faibles, avides, sans effort et sans pudeur.

Synonyms

• निḥसत्त्वाः: devoid of strength/virtue
• निḥसत्त्वाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निḥसत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक; निः + सत्त्व)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; नञ्/निः-पूर्वक-तत्पुरुषः (having no sattva/strength)

• लोलुपाः: greedy
• लोलुपाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोलुप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• निरुद्योगाः: inactive, without initiative
• निरुद्योगाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरुद्योग (प्रातिपदिक; निर् + उद्योग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; उपसर्ग-पूर्वक-तत्पुरुषः (without effort/enterprise)

• गतत्रपाः: shameless
• गतत्रपाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गतत्रप (प्रातिपदिक; गत + त्रपा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (whose shame has gone)

• यदा: when
• यदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• उपेक्षिताः: neglected
• उपेक्षिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप + ईक्ष् (धातु) → उपेक्षित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘उपेक्ष्’ = to neglect

• लक्ष्म्या: by Lakṣmī (Fortune)
• लक्ष्म्या: Karana (करण/Instrument; agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• बभूवुः: became
• बभूवुः: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• दैत्यदानवाः: the Daityas and Dānavas (demons)
• दैत्यदानवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य + दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (Daityas and Dānavas)

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmī
• Daityas
• Dānavas
• King Parīkṣit

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the effects of losing Lakshmi (fortune)?

This verse says that when Lakṣmī withdraws her favor, people can become stripped of virtue—turning greedy, lazy in right action, and shameless in conduct.

Why did Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe the Daityas and Dānavas this way to King Parīkṣit?

In the narrative of the churning of the milk ocean, Śukadeva explains how divine fortune and divine favor influence character; when the demons were neglected by Lakṣmī, their lower tendencies became prominent.

Practical application: how can I avoid the greed and shamelessness described in this verse?

Cultivate sattva through devotion, truthful living, and self-discipline—seeking the Lord’s grace rather than chasing fortune—so character remains steady even when external prosperity changes.