Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 22

Kapila’s Analysis of Materialistic Life, Death, and the Path to Hell

Kāla, Karma, and Yamadūtas

Devanagari script

क्षुत्तृट्परीतोऽर्कदवानलानिलै: सन्तप्यमान: पथि तप्तवालुके । कृच्छ्रेण पृष्ठे कशया च ताडितश् चलत्यशक्तोऽपि निराश्रमोदके ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

kṣut-tṛṭ-parīto ’rka-davānalānilaiḥ santapyamānaḥ pathi tapta-vāluke kṛcchreṇa pṛṣṭhe kaśayā ca tāḍitaś calaty aśakto ’pi nirāśramodake

Translation

灼熱の太陽と山火事に挟まれ、彼は飢えと渇きに苦しみながら熱い砂の上を歩く。歩けなくなっても背中を鞭打たれ、そこには水も避難場所もない。

Synonyms

• क्षुत्-तृट्-परितः: overcome by hunger and thirst
• क्षुत्-तृट्-परितः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुत् + तृट् + परित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण; क्षुत्=भूख, तृट्=प्यास, परित=परिवृत/आवृत

• अर्क-दव-अनल-अनिलैः: by the sun, wildfire, fire, and wind
• अर्क-दव-अनल-अनिलैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क + दव + अनल + अनिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (sun, wildfire, fire, wind)

• सन्तप्यमानः: being scorched/tormented
• सन्तप्यमानः: कर्म (Karma/Patient)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तप् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त (Present passive participle/शानच्) with उपसर्ग सम्; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पथि: on the path
• पथि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पथिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• तप्तवालुके: with hot sand
• तप्तवालुके: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तप्त-वालुक (प्रातिपदिक; तप्त < √तप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying पथि)

• कृच्छ्रेण: with great difficulty
• कृच्छ्रेण: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावार्थे तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial instrumental: 'with difficulty')

• पृष्ठे: on the back
• पृष्ठे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• कशया: with a whip
• कशया: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

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

• ताडितः: beaten/struck
• ताडितः: कर्म (Karma/Patient)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ताड् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• चलति: moves/goes
• चलति: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चल् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• अशक्तः: unable/weak
• अशक्तः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-शक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अपि: even/though
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थे (even/also)

• निराश्रमोदके: where there is no shelter and no water
• निराश्रमोदके: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-आश्रय-उदक (प्रातिपदिक; निराश्रम + उदक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying पथि)

Characters & Entities

• Kapila-deva
• Devahūti

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about suffering caused by karma in Canto 3?

This verse portrays the jīva being driven through extreme hardship—hunger, thirst, heat, and beating—illustrating how fruitive, sinful, and self-centered karma leads to torment and helplessness within material existence.

Why does Kapila-deva describe such painful conditions to Devahuti?

Kapila instructs Devahūti to develop detachment and spiritual urgency by clearly seeing the consequences of material bondage, so she may take shelter of bhakti and attain liberation.

Practical application of this shloka in modern life?

Reflect on how unchecked desires and harmful actions create suffering, and use that clarity to choose self-discipline, compassion, and devotion—seeking inner shelter in remembrance of the Lord rather than chasing temporary relief.