Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvitiya Skandha, Shloka 3

The First Step in God Realization: The Glory of Hearing and the Virāṭ-Rūpa Meditation

Devanagari script

निद्रया ह्रियते नक्तं व्यवायेन च वा वय: । दिवा चार्थेहया राजन् कुटुम्बभरणेन वा ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

nidrayā hriyate naktaṁ vyavāyena ca vā vayaḥ divā cārthehayā rājan kuṭumba-bharaṇena vā

Translation

王よ、ねたみに満ちた家住者の寿命は、夜は眠りか情欲の享楽に奪われ、昼は財を求めることか家族を養うことに費やされる。

Synonyms

• निद्रया: by sleep
• निद्रया: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• ह्रियते: is taken away
• ह्रियते: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; Present indicative, 3rd sg (passive sense: 'is carried away')

• नक्तम्: at night
• नक्तम्: अधिकरण (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नक्तम् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय-प्राय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण); indeclinable adverb of time

• व्यवायेन: by sexual activity
• व्यवायेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यवाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय; conjunction

• वा: or
• वा: विकल्प (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक अव्यय; disjunctive particle

• वयः: life-span, age
• वयः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/विषय), एकवचन; Nominative singular

• दिवा: by day
• दिवा: अधिकरण (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण); indeclinable adverb of time

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय; conjunction

• अर्थेहया: by pursuit of wealth
• अर्थेहया: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ-ईहा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी/उपपद-सम्बन्ध): अर्थस्य ईहा = अर्थेहा; Instrumental singular

• राजन्: O King
• राजन्: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन; Vocative singular

• कुटुम्बभरणेन: by maintaining the family
• कुटुम्बभरणेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुटुम्ब-भरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: कुटुम्बस्य भरणम्; Instrumental singular

• वा: or
• वा: विकल्प (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक अव्यय; disjunctive particle

Purport

The present human civilization is primarily based on the principles of sleeping and sex indulgence at night and earning money in the day and spending the same for family maintenance. Such a form of human civilization is condemned by the Bhāgavata school.

Characters & Entities

• Parīkṣit Mahārāja

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about wasting time in sleep and sense gratification?

This verse says human lifespan is commonly consumed by sleep and sex at night, and by day by chasing wealth and maintaining family—leaving little time for God realization.

Why did Shukadeva Goswami say this to King Parikshit?

Parīkṣit had only seven days to live and asked the essential duty of a person facing death; Śukadeva highlights how ordinary life drains time so the King should focus on hearing and remembering the Lord.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Reduce unnecessary indulgence and overwork, simplify needs, and reserve daily time for śravaṇa and kīrtana—hearing and chanting about Kṛṣṇa—as the core spiritual priority.