Shloka 25

The Forest of Material Existence (Saṁsāra-vana) and the Delivering Path of Bharata’s Teachings

Devanagari script

क्‍वचिच्च शीतवाताद्यनेकाधिदैविकभौतिकात्मीयानां दशानां प्रतिनिवारणेऽकल्पो दुरन्तचिन्तया विषण्ण आस्ते ॥ २५ ॥

Transliteration

kvacic ca śīta-vātādy-anekādhidaivika-bhautikātmīyānāṁ daśānāṁ pratinivāraṇe ’kalpo duranta-cintayā viṣaṇṇa āste.

Translation

ചിലപ്പോൾ തണുത്ത കാറ്റ് മുതലായ അനേകം ആധിദൈവിക, ആധിഭൗതിക, ആധ്യാത്മിക ദുഃഖങ്ങളിൽ നിന്ന് സ്വയം രക്ഷിക്കാനാകാതെ ബന്ധിതജീവൻ അറ്റമില്ലാത്ത ചിന്തയിൽ വിഷണ്ണനായി വിലാപജീവിതം നയിക്കുന്നു।

Synonyms

• क्वचित्: sometimes
• क्वचित्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/कालवाचक (adverb: somewhere/sometimes)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• शीत-वात-आदि-अनेक-अधिदैविक-भौतिक-आत्मीयानाम्: of those (conditions) related to cold, wind, etc.—many, divine, elemental, and bodily
• शीत-वात-आदि-अनेक-अधिदैविक-भौतिक-आत्मीयानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीत (प्रातिपदिक) + वात (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + अनेक (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिदैविक (प्रातिपदिक) + भौतिक (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-समास; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/समाहार-प्रायः (determinative chain); पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति (Gen.), बहुवचन; 'शीतवातादयः' इत्यादि-विशेषणसमूहः

• दशानाम्: of states/conditions
• दशानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति (Gen.), बहुवचन

• प्रतिनिवारणे: in warding off
• प्रतिनिवारणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति-नि-√वृ (धातु) → प्रतिनिवारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति (Loc./अधिकरण), एकवचन; भाववाचक (act of warding off)

• अकल्पः: incapable
• अकल्पः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nom.), एकवचन; नञ्-समास/उपसर्ग-निष्पन्न: 'अ-कल्प' = incapable

• दुरन्त-चिन्तया: by unending/anxious thought
• दुरन्त-चिन्तया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुरन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + चिन्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: 'दुरन्ता या चिन्ता'

• विषण्णः: dejected
• विषण्णः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √सद् (धातु) → विषण्ण (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आस्ते: remains/sits
• आस्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार (Present); आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Purport

The so-called happy materialistic person is constantly having to endure the threefold miseries of life, called adhidaivika, adhyātmika and adhibhautika. Actually no one can counteract these threefold miseries. All three may assail one at one time, or one misery may be absent and the other present. Thus the living entity is full of anxiety, fearing misery from one side or the other. The conditioned soul must be disturbed by at least one of these three miseries. There is no escape.

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the threefold miseries (tāpa-traya)?

This verse describes how a conditioned soul is struck by sufferings from higher forces (adhidaivika), other beings and the elements (adhibhautika), and one’s own body and mind (ādhyātmika), becoming unable to resist them and falling into anxiety.

Who is being described in Bhagavatam 5.14.25?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī is describing the conditioned soul wandering in the ‘forest’ of material enjoyment, repeatedly overwhelmed by uncontrollable miseries like cold, wind, and other distressing conditions.

How can this Bhagavatam verse be applied in modern life when facing anxiety?

It teaches that many hardships are not fully controllable by ordinary effort; recognizing their material nature can reduce false ego and prompt one to seek steadiness through devotion, spiritual practice, and reliance on the Lord rather than endless worry.