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Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 38

The Rise of Soma-vaṁśa: Budha’s Birth and Purūravā–Urvaśī; The Origin of Karma-kāṇḍa in Tretā-yuga

विधायालीकविश्रम्भमज्ञेषु त्यक्तसौहृदा: । नवं नवमभीप्सन्त्य: पुंश्चल्य: स्वैरवृत्तय: ॥ ३८ ॥

vidhāyālīka-viśrambham ajñeṣu tyakta-sauhṛdāḥ navaṁ navam abhīpsantyaḥ puṁścalyaḥ svaira-vṛttayaḥ

അജ്ഞരായ പുരുഷന്മാരിൽ തെറ്റായ വിശ്വാസം ജനിപ്പിച്ച്, അവർ പുതിയ പുതിയ പുരുഷന്മാരെ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുകയും പഴയ ഗുണകാംക്ഷികളെ ഉപേക്ഷിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നു.

vidhāyahaving made/arranged
vidhāya:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootvi-dhā (धातु)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), indeclinable (अव्ययभाव)
ālīka-viśrambhamfalse trust/confidence
ālīka-viśrambham:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootālīka (प्रातिपदिक) + viśrambha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormTatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)
ajñeṣuamong the ignorant
ajñeṣu:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootajña (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Plural (बहुवचन)
tyakta-sauhṛdāḥthose who have abandoned affection
tyakta-sauhṛdāḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roottyakta (कृदन्त; √tyaj) + sauhṛda (प्रातिपदिक)
FormBahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि) compound; Past passive participle (क्त) as first member; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)
navamnew (one)
navam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootnava (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); used substantively
navamever new
navam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootnava (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); repetition for emphasis
abhīpsantyaḥdesiring
abhīpsantyaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootabhi-īps (धातु)
FormPresent active participle (शतृ/कृदन्त), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)
puṁścalyaḥharlots/wanton women
puṁścalyaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootpuṁścalī (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)
svaira-vṛttayaḥof independent conduct
svaira-vṛttayaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootsvaira (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛtti (प्रातिपदिक)
FormKarmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) compound; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

Because women are easily seduced, the Manu-saṁhitā enjoins that they should not be given freedom. A woman must always be protected, either by her father, by her husband, or by her elderly son. If women are given freedom to mingle with men like equals, which they now claim to be, they cannot keep their propriety. The nature of a woman, as personally described by Urvaśī, is to establish false friendship with someone and then seek new male companions, one after another, even if this means giving up the company of a sincere well-wisher.

FAQs

This verse says that when genuine affection is abandoned and false intimacy is cultivated among the ignorant, one develops a restless tendency to seek ever-new partners, driven by self-willed, uncontrolled conduct.

Śukadeva Gosvāmī is narrating this teaching while describing the moral dynamics within the Ninth Canto’s historical accounts.

It cautions against building relationships on deception and superficial validation; cultivate truthfulness, discernment, and steady commitment rather than chasing novelty through uncontrolled desire.