Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 29

Lord Śiva Bewildered by Mohinī

Viṣṇu’s Yoga-māyā and the Limits of Ascetic Power

Devanagari script

सोपगूढा भगवता करिणा करिणी यथा । इतस्तत: प्रसर्पन्ती विप्रकीर्णशिरोरुहा ॥ २९ ॥ आत्मानं मोचयित्वाङ्ग सुरर्षभभुजान्तरात् । प्राद्रवत्सा पृथुश्रोणी माया देवविनिर्मिता ॥ ३० ॥

Transliteration

sopagūḍhā bhagavatā kariṇā kariṇī yathā itas tataḥ prasarpantī viprakīrṇa-śiroruhā

Translation

雄象が雌象を抱きしめるように、主シヴァは彼女を抱擁した。髪は乱れ、彼女は雌蛇のようにあちらこちらへ身をくねらせた。

Synonyms

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• उपगूढा: closely embraced
• उपगूढा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-गुह् (धातु) → उपगूढ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• भगवता: by the Lord
• भगवता: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• करिणा: by the (male) elephant
• करिणा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• करिणी: the (female) elephant
• करिणी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यथा: as, just like
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/तुलना-वाचक (comparative particle)

• इतस्: from here / this way
• इतस्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकार: देश/दिशा-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• ततस्: from there / that way
• ततस्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकार: देश/दिशा-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• प्रसर्पन्ती: crawling/slipping away
• प्रसर्पन्ती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-सृप् (धातु) → प्रसर्पन्त् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषण-भावे/विशेषण

• विप्रकीर्ण-शिरोरुहा: with hair scattered/disheveled
• विप्रकीर्ण-शिरोरुहा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विप्र-कीर्ण (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + शिरोरुह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय-भाव: ‘विप्रकीर्णाः शिरोरुहाः यस्याः’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavān (Viṣṇu as Mohinī-mūrti)
• Mohinī-mūrti

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Mohini-murti and divine illusion (māyā)?

This verse depicts Mohinī’s captivating, elusive movements even while embraced by Bhagavān, illustrating how the Lord’s own māyā can enchant and bewilder the universe.

Why is this scene described with the example of an elephant pair?

The comparison emphasizes the intensity of the embrace and the natural, overpowering pull of attraction—used in the narrative to show how potent the Lord’s illusory display can be.

Practical application: what can a devotee learn from this verse?

Attraction can overpower even the strong; therefore one should seek the Lord’s shelter, cultivate restraint, and remain vigilant about the mind’s susceptibility to illusion.