Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 25

Kardama Muni’s Mystic Opulence, Devahūti’s Rejuvenation, and the Turning Toward Fearlessness

Devanagari script

अङ्गं च मलपङ्केन संछन्नं शबलस्तनम् । आविवेश सरस्वत्या: सर: शिवजलाशयम् ॥ २५ ॥

Transliteration

aṅgaṁ ca mala-paṅkena sañchannaṁ śabala-stanam āviveśa sarasvatyāḥ saraḥ śiva-jalāśayam

Translation

Tubuhnya diselaputi lapisan kotoran yang tebal dan dadanya kelihatan kusam; namun dia tetap menyelam ke tasik suci yang mengandungi air keramat Sarasvatī.

Synonyms

• अङ्गम्: body/limb
• अङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मलपङ्केन: with filth-mud
• मलपङ्केन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मलपङ्क (प्रातिपदिक: मल + पङ्क)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मलस्य पङ्कः)

• संछन्नम्: covered
• संछन्नम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छद् (धातु) + सम् (उपसर्ग) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अङ्गम्)

• शबलस्तनम्: having mottled breasts
• शबलस्तनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शबल + स्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (शबलाः स्तनाः यस्य/यत्) विशेषणम् (अङ्गम्)

• आविवेश: entered
• आविवेश: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश् (धातु) + आ (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• सरस्वत्याः: of Sarasvatī
• सरस्वत्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• सरः: lake
• सरः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• शिवजलाशयम्: a reservoir of auspicious water
• शिवजलाशयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + जल + आशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (शिवं जलं यस्मिन्/यत्र सः आशयः)

Characters & Entities

• Devahūti
• Sarasvatī

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about purification through sacred waters?

This verse depicts Devahūti entering the Sarasvatī’s sacred lake to cleanse the bodily impurity that had covered her, highlighting the purifying role of tīrthas (holy waters) in devotional culture.

Why did Devahuti go to the Sarasvati lake in Canto 3 Chapter 23?

After a period of neglect and hardship, her body was covered with grime; she therefore went to the Sarasvatī’s auspicious reservoir to bathe and become cleansed.

Practical application of this Bhagavatam verse in modern life?

It encourages intentional purification—through cleanliness, renewing one’s habits, and seeking spiritually uplifting environments—especially when one feels weighed down by neglect or exhaustion.