Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 15

Mahārāja Sagara, Kapila Muni, and the Deliverance of the Sixty Thousand Sons

Devanagari script

असमञ्जस आत्मानं दर्शयन्नसमञ्जसम् । जातिस्मर: पुरा सङ्गाद् योगी योगाद् विचालित: ॥ १५ ॥ आचरन् गर्हितं लोके ज्ञातीनां कर्म विप्रियम् । सरय्वां क्रीडतो बालान्प्रास्यदुद्वेजयञ्जनम् ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

asamañjasa ātmānaṁ darśayann asamañjasam jāti-smaraḥ purā saṅgād yogī yogād vicālitaḥ

Translation

Dans une vie antérieure, Asamañjasa avait été un grand yogī, mais, par mauvaise fréquentation, il déchut de sa haute condition. À présent, bien que né dans une lignée royale et doué de mémoire des vies passées (jāti-smara), il voulut se donner l’apparence d’un scélérat, accomplissant des actes blâmés par le monde et pénibles pour ses proches.

Synonyms

• असमञ्जसः: Asamañjasa
• असमञ्जसः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असमञ्जस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• आत्मानम्: himself
• आत्मानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; स्व-शब्दार्थः

• दर्शयन्: showing
• दर्शयन्: Karta (कर्ता/Agent—participial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + णिच् (causative) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त (present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; णिजन्त ‘causing to be seen/showing’

• असमञ्जसम्: as improper/absurd
• असमञ्जसम्: Karma (कर्म/Complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असमञ्जस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (predicate/object complement)

• जातिस्मरः: one who remembers past births
• जातिस्मरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाति (प्रातिपदिक) + स्मर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: जातिं स्मरति इति/जात्याः स्मरः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘one who remembers (past) births’

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala (काल/Time adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• सङ्गात्: from association
• सङ्गात्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे ‘due to association’

• योगी: a yogi
• योगी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• योगात्: from yoga
• योगात्: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; अपादानार्थे ‘from yoga (state/practice)’

• विचालितः: disturbed
• विचालितः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चल् (धातु) + वि- (उपसर्ग) + णिच्? (causative sense) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘disturbed/moved away’

Characters & Entities

• Asamañjasa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about bad association and spiritual downfall?

This verse states that even a yogī can become deviated from yoga due to saṅga (association), showing how companionship strongly shapes one’s spiritual steadiness.

Why is Asamañjasa described as acting improperly in the Bhagavatam?

Śukadeva explains that Asamañjasa presented himself through confusing, socially condemned behavior, linked to his earlier deviation from yoga because of harmful association.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Choose uplifting company and environments; even sincere spiritual practice can weaken if one repeatedly keeps degrading influences.