Shloka 9

Devanagari script

तां तीक्ष्णचित्तामतिवामचेष्टितां वीक्ष्यान्तरा कोषपरिच्छदासिवत् । वरस्त्रियं तत्प्रभया च धर्षिते निरीक्ष्यमाणे जननी ह्यतिष्ठताम् ॥ ९ ॥

Transliteration

tāṁ tīkṣṇa-cittām ativāma-ceṣṭitāṁ vīkṣyāntarā koṣa-paricchadāsivat vara-striyaṁ tat-prabhayā ca dharṣite nirīkṣyamāṇe jananī hy atiṣṭhatām

Translation

പൂതനയുടെ ഹൃദയം ക്രൂരമായിരുന്നു, എന്നാൽ അവൾ സ്നേഹമുള്ള ഒരമ്മയെപ്പോലെ കാണപ്പെട്ടു. ഉറയിൽ ഒളിപ്പിച്ച മൂർച്ചയുള്ള വാൾ പോലെയായിരുന്നു അവൾ. യശോദയും രോഹിണിയും അവളുടെ സൗന്ദര്യത്തിൽ മയങ്ങി അവളെ തടഞ്ഞില്ല. അവൾ കുട്ടിയോട് അമ്മയെപ്പോലെ പെരുമാറിയതിനാൽ അവർ മൗനം പാലിച്ചു.

Synonyms

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तीक्ष्णचित्ताम्: sharp-minded; fierce-minded
• तीक्ष्णचित्ताम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीक्ष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘तीक्ष्णं चित्तं यस्याः’ (भावार्थे बहुव्रीहि-सदृश)

• अतिवामचेष्टिताम्: with very perverse actions
• अतिवामचेष्टिताम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (अव्यय-उपसर्ग) + वाम (प्रातिपदिक) + चेष्टित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘अतिवामं चेष्टितं यस्याः’ (तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-श्रृंखला)

• वीक्ष्य: having seen
• वीक्ष्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (Gerund), ‘having seen’

• अन्तरा: within
• अन्तरा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्तरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘in between/within’ (adverb/preposition-like)

• कोष: sheath
• कोष: Visheshya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, (समासाङ्ग) ‘sheath/case’

• परिच्छद: covering
• परिच्छद: Visheshya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिच्छद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, (समासाङ्ग) ‘covering/outer garment’

• असि: sword
• असि: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, (समासाङ्ग) ‘sword’

• वत्: like
• वत्: Upamana-marker (उपमान-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वत् (अव्यय/तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: उपमा-सूचक अव्यय (like/as)

• वरस्त्रियम्: an excellent woman
• वरस्त्रियम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक) + स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘वरा स्त्री’ = excellent woman

• तत्प्रभया: by her radiance
• तत्प्रभया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; ‘तस्याः प्रभया’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

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

• धर्षिते: when (they were) overpowered
• धर्षिते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृष् (धातु) → धर्षित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसक/पुं, सप्तमी, एकवचन; लोके ‘धर्षिते (सति)’ = when (they were) overpowered/assaulted

• निरिक्ष्यमाणे: while being observed
• निरिक्ष्यमाणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + ईक्ष् (धातु) → निरीक्ष्यमाण (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमान कर्मणि कृदन्त (शानच्), सप्तमी, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी: ‘while being watched’

• जननी: the mother (Yaśodā)
• जननी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जननी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• अतिष्ठताम्: they remained (motionless)
• अतिष्ठताम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘they stood/remained’

Purport

Although Pūtanā was an outsider and although she personified fierce death because the determination within her heart was to kill the child, when she directly came and placed the child on her lap to offer the child her breast to suck, the mothers were so captivated by her beauty that they did not prohibit her. Sometimes a beautiful woman is dangerous because everyone, being captivated by external beauty ( māyā-mohita ), is unable to understand what is in her mind. Those who are captivated by the beauty of the external energy are called māyā-mohita. Mohitaṁ nābhijānāti mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam ( Bg. 7.13 ). Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ ( Bhāg. 7.5.31 ). Here, of course, the two mothers Rohiṇī and Yaśodā were not māyā-mohita, deluded by the external energy, but to develop the pastimes of the Lord, they were captivated by Yoga-māyā. Such māyā-moha is the action of Yoga-māyā.

Characters & Entities

• Pūtanā
• Mother Yaśodā

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about evil appearing as beauty or virtue?

This verse portrays Pūtanā as outwardly a “noble woman” but inwardly like a sword hidden in its sheath—teaching that adharma can disguise itself attractively, and devotees should rely on Kṛṣṇa’s protection and cultivate discernment.

Why did Mother Yaśodā not immediately stop Pūtanā from approaching baby Krishna?

The verse indicates Yaśodā was shaken by Pūtanā’s unusual radiance and stood watching; in the narrative, Yogamāyā’s arrangement allows Kṛṣṇa’s līlā to unfold, culminating in His protection of Vraja and the destruction of the demoness.

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

Do not judge solely by external charm, status, or eloquence; test intentions and effects, keep strong sādhana and prayer, and seek guidance from śāstra and sādhus—trusting that sincere devotion attracts the Lord’s protection.