Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 40

Parīkṣit’s Inquiry into Vṛtrāsura’s Bhakti and the Beginning of Citraketu’s Trial

Devanagari script

धिगप्रजां स्त्रियं पापां पत्युश्चागृहसम्मताम् । सुप्रजाभि: सपत्नीभिर्दासीमिव तिरस्कृताम् ॥ ४० ॥

Transliteration

dhig aprajāṁ striyaṁ pāpāṁ patyuś cāgṛha-sammatām suprajābhiḥ sapatnībhir dāsīm iva tiraskṛtām

Translation

子なき罪深き妻は嘆かわしい。夫は家で彼女を重んじず、子ある共妻たちは彼女を侍女のように侮る。

Synonyms

• धिग्: fie! shame!
• धिग्: Sambodhana/Exclamation (सम्बोधन/निन्दा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धिग् (अव्यय/निन्दार्थक-निपात)
• Form: निन्दार्थक-निपात (particle of censure), अव्यय

• अप्रजाम्: childless
• अप्रजाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषण

• स्त्रियम्: woman
• स्त्रियम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पापाम्: sinful/wretched
• पापाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• पत्युः: of the husband
• पत्युः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), एकवचन

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

• अगृहसम्मताम्: not accepted/approved in the household
• अगृहसम्मताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-गृह + सम्मत (प्रातिपदिक); सम्मत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष (अगृहे सम्मता इति/‘not approved in the household’)

• सुप्रजाभिः: by (women) with good children
• सुप्रजाभिः: Karana/Agent-instrument (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु-प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘सु’ उपसर्गपूर्वक-विशेषणसमास (good offspring)

• सपत्नीभिः: by co-wives
• सपत्नीभिः: Karana/Agent-instrument (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सपत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• दासीम्: a maidservant
• दासीम्: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दासी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इव: like/as
• इव: Upamana-marker (उपमान-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• तिरस्कृताम्: insulted/treated with contempt
• तिरस्कृताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तिरस् + कृ (धातु) → तिरस्कृत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)

Purport

As stated by Cāṇakya Paṇḍita:

Characters & Entities

• Citraketu
• Kṛtadyuti
• co-wives (sapatnī)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the pain of being childless?

This verse voices the intense social and emotional suffering felt by a childless queen, showing how worldly identity and status can become sources of humiliation and grief.

Why did Queen Kṛtadyuti speak this way in the story of King Citraketu?

In Canto 6, Chapter 14, Citraketu’s chief queen laments her childlessness and the contempt she faces from co-wives with children, expressing her despair within the palace situation.

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

It cautions against measuring worth by social markers (like family status) and encourages cultivating dignity, compassion, and spiritual grounding rather than rivalry and comparison.