Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 4

Śaryāti, Sukanyā, Cyavana Muni, the Aśvinī-kumāras, and Kakudmī-Revatī

Baladeva Marriage

Devanagari script

ते दैवचोदिता बाला ज्योतिषी कण्टकेन वै । अविध्यन्मुग्धभावेन सुस्रावासृक् ततो बहि: ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

te daiva-coditā bālā jyotiṣī kaṇṭakena vai avidhyan mugdha-bhāvena susrāvāsṛk tato bahiḥ

Translation

ದೈವಪ್ರೇರಿತಳಾದಂತೆ ಆ ಬಾಲಕಿ ಮುಗ್ಧಭಾವದಿಂದ ಮುಳ್ಳಿನಿಂದ ಆ ಎರಡು ಜ್ಯೋತಿಗಳನ್ನು ಚುಚ್ಚಿದಳು. ಚುಚ್ಚಿದ ತಕ್ಷಣ ಅವುಗಳಿಂದ ರಕ್ತವು ಹೊರಗೆ ಹರಿಯತೊಡಗಿತು.

Synonyms

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural; refers to the girls

• दैवचोदिताः: impelled by destiny
• दैवचोदिताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दैव + चोदित (प्रातिपदिक; चुद्-धातुज कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Past passive participle; ‘impelled by fate/divinity’

• बालाः: girls
• बालाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• ज्योतिषी: the two lights (eyes)
• ज्योतिषी: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; Accusative dual

• कण्टकेन: with a thorn
• कण्टकेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• वै: indeed
• वै: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• अविध्यन्: pierced
• अविध्यन्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; ‘they pierced’

• मुग्धभावेन: out of innocence
• मुग्धभावेन: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुग्धभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular; ‘through innocence/naivety’

• सुस्राव: flowed
• सुस्राव: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्रु (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; ‘flowed out’

• असृक्: blood
• असृक्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असृज्/असृक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• ततः: then/from there
• ततः: Desha-Kala (देश-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय/तद्-तसिल्)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb: ‘from there/then’)

• बहिः: outside
• बहिः: Desha (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place: ‘outside’)

Characters & Entities

• the young girls (bālāḥ)
• the astrologer (jyotiṣī)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about destiny (daiva) influencing human actions?

This verse explicitly states that the girls were “daiva-coditā”—moved by providence—showing that Bhagavatam acknowledges destiny’s role in triggering events even through innocent, unintended acts.

Why did the girls prick the astrologer in Bhagavatam Canto 9 Chapter 3?

They acted in childish innocence (mugdha-bhāva), and the verse frames it as an event propelled by destiny, leading to the astrologer being wounded and bleeding.

What is the practical lesson of Bhagavatam 9.3.4 for modern life?

Even small, careless actions can have serious consequences; therefore one should cultivate mindfulness and humility, while recognizing that some outcomes unfold under higher providence.