Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 18

Citraketu Offends Śiva, Is Cursed by Pārvatī, and Is Glorified as a Vaiṣṇava

Devanagari script

संसारचक्र एतस्मिञ्जन्तुरज्ञानमोहित: । भ्राम्यन् सुखं च दु:खं च भुङ्क्ते सर्वत्र सर्वदा ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

saṁsāra-cakra etasmiñ jantur ajñāna-mohitaḥ bhrāmyan sukhaṁ ca duḥkhaṁ ca bhuṅkte sarvatra sarvadā

Translation

この輪廻の輪において、無知に惑わされた生きとし生けるものはさまよい、過去の業の果としての楽と苦を、いつでもどこでも味わう。

Synonyms

• संसारचक्रे: in the wheel of saṁsāra
• संसारचक्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार + चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (संसारस्य चक्रम्)

• एतस्मिन्: in this
• एतस्मिन्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (संसारचक्रे)

• जन्तुः: the living being
• जन्तुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अज्ञानमोहितः: deluded by ignorance
• अज्ञानमोहितः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज्ञान + मोहित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अज्ञानेन मोहितः)

• भ्राम्यन्: wandering
• भ्राम्यन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/न्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि; सहायक-क्रिया (concomitant action)

• सुखम्: happiness
• सुखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• दुःखम्: suffering
• दुःखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• भुङ्क्ते: experiences, enjoys/suffers
• भुङ्क्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• सर्वत्र: everywhere
• सर्वत्र: Deshadhikarana (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kaladhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

Purport

As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (3.27) :

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the cycle of birth and death (saṁsāra)?

It describes saṁsāra as a revolving wheel in which the deluded soul keeps wandering, repeatedly experiencing alternating happiness and distress.

Who is speaking this verse in Canto 6 Chapter 17?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī speaks this instruction while narrating the events surrounding Citraketu and the deeper lesson about conditioned life.

Practical application: how can I stay steady when life alternates between happiness and sorrow?

Remember that both are recurring outcomes of wandering in ignorance; cultivate spiritual knowledge and devotion so you are not mentally carried away by either.