Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 13

Nārada Instructs Dakṣa’s Sons; Allegory of the World; Dakṣa Curses Nārada

Devanagari script

पुमान्नैवैति यद्गत्वा बिलस्वर्गं गतो यथा । प्रत्यग्धामाविद इह किमसत्कर्मभिर्भवेत् ॥ १३ ॥

Transliteration

pumān naivaiti yad gatvā bila-svargaṁ gato yathā pratyag-dhāmāvida iha kim asat-karmabhir bhavet

Translation

ଯେପରି ପାତାଳରୂପ ‘ବିଲ’ରେ ପ୍ରବେଶ କରିଥିବା ଲୋକ ପୁନଃ ଫେରି ଦେଖାଯାଏ ନାହିଁ, ସେପରି ବୈକୁଣ୍ଠଧାମ (ପ୍ରତ୍ୟଗ୍ଧାମ) ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ ଜୀବ ଏହି ସଂସାରକୁ ଆଉ ଫେରେ ନାହିଁ। ଏମିତି ପରମ ପଦ ଥିଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ ତାହାକୁ ନ ଦେଖି ଏହି କ୍ଷଣିକ ଜଗତରେ କପିପରି ଲାଫାଲାଫି କଲେ, ତାହାର ଅସତ୍କର୍ମର କ’ଣ ଲାଭ?

Synonyms

• पुमान्: a man/person
• पुमान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुम्स् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (particle: indeed/just)

• एति: goes/returns
• एति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• यत्: which (place/state)
• यत्: Karma (कर्म/गन्तव्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; अर्थः—‘गमनं कृत्वा’

• बिल-स्वर्गम्: the ‘cave-heaven’
• बिल-स्वर्गम्: Karma (कर्म/गन्तव्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल + स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (बिलस्य स्वर्गः)

• गतः: gone
• गतः: Karta (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे—‘गमनं कृतवान्’

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Upamana (उपमान/दृष्टान्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा/दृष्टान्त (indeclinable: as/just as)

• प्रत्यक्-धाम: the inner abode (Self)
• प्रत्यक्-धाम: Karma (कर्म/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रत्यक् + धामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (प्रत्यक् धाम)

• अविदः: not knowing
• अविदः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘पुमान्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; अर्थः—अविद्वान्/अजानन्

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/कालवाचक (adverb: here/in this world)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Prashna (प्रश्न/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• असत्-कर्मभिः: by unreal/evil actions
• असत्-कर्मभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असत् + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (असत् कर्म)

• भवेत्: would be/come to be
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Purport

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (15.6) , yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama: there is a region from which, having gone, one does not return to the material world. This region has been repeatedly described. Elsewhere in Bhagavad-gītā (4.9) , Kṛṣṇa says:

Characters & Entities

• Nārada Muni
• Sons of Dakṣa (Haryaśvas)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about giving up fruitive karma (asat-karma)?

This verse says that once one realizes the inner self (pratyag-dhāma), fruitive, temporary actions lose their purpose, because they cannot give lasting fulfillment or liberation.

Why did Nārada Muni say this to the sons of Dakṣa?

Nārada instructed Dakṣa’s sons to turn away from worldly productivity and ritualistic ambitions and instead seek self-realization and devotion, showing them the futility of temporary goals.

How can I apply this teaching in modern life?

Prioritize practices that awaken inner spiritual awareness—bhakti, sādhana, and self-inquiry—while treating career and achievements as secondary, not as the source of ultimate meaning.