Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 25

The Fall of Purañjana and the Supersoul as the Eternal Friend

Purañjana-Upākhyāna Culmination

Devanagari script

विकृष्यमाण: प्रसभं यवनेन बलीयसा । नाविन्दत्तमसाविष्ट: सखायं सुहृदं पुर: ॥ २५ ॥

Transliteration

vikṛṣyamāṇaḥ prasabhaṁ yavanena balīyasā nāvindat tamasāviṣṭaḥ sakhāyaṁ suhṛdaṁ puraḥ

Translation

ശക്തനായ യവനൻ അവനെ ബലമായി വലിച്ചിഴച്ചുകൊണ്ടുപോയിട്ടും, അജ്ഞാനാന്ധകാരത്തിൽ മൂടപ്പെട്ട രാജാവിന് മുന്നിലിരുന്ന സഖാവും സുഹൃത്തുമായ അന്തര്യാമി പരമാത്മാവിനെ ഓർക്കാൻ കഴിഞ്ഞില്ല.

Synonyms

• विकृष्यमाणः: being dragged
• विकृष्यमाणः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृष् (धातु)
• Form: शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपसर्ग: वि-

• प्रसभम्: forcibly
• प्रसभम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रसभम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: forcibly)

• यवनेन: by the Yavana
• यवनेन: Kartr-karana (कर्तृ/करण—agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• बलीयसा: by the stronger (one)
• बलीयसा: Karana (करण/Instrument qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन्/बलियस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; तुलनात्मक-प्रत्यय (comparative: stronger); विशेषणम् (qualifying यवनेन)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अविन्दत्: found
• अविन्दत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तमसा: by darkness
• तमसा: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• आविष्टः: overcome, enveloped
• आविष्टः: Karta (कर्ता/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपसर्ग: आ-; विशेषणम् (qualifying subject)

• सखायम्: friend
• सखायम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सुहृदम्: well-wisher
• सुहृदम्: Karma (कर्म/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (apposition to सखायम्)

• पुरः: before, in front
• पुरः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: in front/before)

Purport

In Bhagavad-gītā (5.29) Lord Kṛṣṇa says:

Characters & Entities

• Yavana

FAQs

Who is the Yavana in Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 4 Chapter 28?

In this allegorical narration, the Yavana represents the overpowering force of time (kāla)—the agent that drags the embodied being toward death and transition.

Who is the 'friend and well-wisher' that he could not find?

The verse points to the ever-present inner companion—Paramātmā (the Supersoul)—whom the conditioned soul fails to perceive when covered by tamas (darkness/ignorance).

Practical application: what does this verse teach for modern life?

It urges daily remembrance of the Lord through bhakti (hearing, chanting, prayer), so that when time’s force comes, one is not overwhelmed by confusion and forgetfulness.