Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 33

Secondary Creation Begins: Brahmā’s Productions, the Guṇas, and the Emergence of Orders of Beings

Devanagari script

वितर्कयन्तो बहुधा तां सन्ध्यां प्रमदाकृतिम् । अभिसम्भाव्य विश्रम्भात्पर्यपृच्छन् कुमेधस: ॥ ३३ ॥

Transliteration

vitarkayanto bahudhā tāṁ sandhyāṁ pramadākṛtim abhisambhāvya viśrambhāt paryapṛcchan kumedhasaḥ

Translation

Les asuras, l’esprit obscurci, spéculèrent de mille façons sur le crépuscule du soir, qu’ils crurent voir sous la forme d’une jeune femme; avec un respect feint, ils lui parlèrent ainsi.

Synonyms

• वितर्कयन्तः: deliberating, reasoning
• वितर्कयन्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-तर्कय् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle, शतृ), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• बहुधा: in many ways
• बहुधा: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

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

• सन्ध्याम्: Sandhyā (twilight personified)
• सन्ध्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्ध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रमदा-आकृतिम्: having the form of a beautiful woman
• प्रमदा-आकृतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमदा (प्रातिपदिक) + आकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): ‘प्रमदाया आकृतिः’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अभिसम्भाव्य: having supposed/considered
• अभिसम्भाव्य: Purva-kala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-सम्-भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘having considered/esteemed’

• विश्रम्भात्: out of familiarity/confidence
• विश्रम्भात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्रम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; हेतौ/कारणे (ablative of cause: ‘from/through familiarity’)

• परि-अपृच्छन्: they asked
• परि-अपृच्छन्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• कुमेधसः: the dull-witted ones
• कुमेधसः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कु-मेधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: ‘कु (दुष्ट) + मेधस् (बुद्धि)’; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Characters & Entities

• Sandhyā

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about mistaking illusion (māyā) for reality in Canto 3?

This verse shows how delusion can make one misidentify a divine personification (Sandhyā, Twilight) as an object of worldly attraction, leading to improper behavior and confused inquiry.

Why did the beings approach Sandhyā with familiarity in Bhagavatam 3.20.33?

Because they were bewildered by her feminine appearance and, being of poor intelligence, assumed she was an ordinary woman, so they questioned her with undue confidence.

Practical application of this shloka’s teaching in modern life?

Avoid impulsive conclusions based on appearance; cultivate discrimination (viveka) and self-control so attraction and speculation do not override respectful, dharmic conduct.