Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 20

Pṛthu Pursues the Earth and the Earth Takes the Form of a Cow

Bhūmi as Gauḥ

Devanagari script

प्रहरन्ति न वै स्त्रीषु कृताग:स्वपि जन्तव: । किमुत त्वद्विधा राजन् करुणा दीनवत्सला: ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

praharanti na vai strīṣu kṛtāgaḥsv api jantavaḥ kim uta tvad-vidhā rājan karuṇā dīna-vatsalāḥ

Translation

స్త్రీ ఏదైనా పాపకర్మ చేసినా ఆమెపై చేయి ఎత్తకూడదు. మరి మీరు వంటి, ఓ రాజా, దయామయుడు దీనవత్సల రక్షకుడు అయితే ఇంకేమి చెప్పాలి!

Synonyms

• प्रहरन्ति: they strike/attack
• प्रहरन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• स्त्रीषु: among women / in women
• स्त्रीषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (plural)

• कृतागःसु: among the guilty (those who have committed sin)
• कृतागःसु: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत-आगस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (कृतं आगः येषाम्), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (plural)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: even/also)

• जन्तवः: creatures
• जन्तवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Prayojaka/Question (प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular); प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative)

• उत: then / indeed
• उत: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; in 'किम् उत' = 'how much more')

• त्वद्विधाः: people like you
• त्वद्विधाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद्-विद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि समास (त्वद्विधः = 'one like you'), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सम्बोधन विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (singular)

• करुणाः: compassionate
• करुणाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: करुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• दीनवत्सलाः: affectionate to the poor
• दीनवत्सलाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीन-वत्सल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (दीनानां वत्सलाः), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

Characters & Entities

• Pṛthu Mahārāja
• Bhūmi (Earth-goddess/Pṛthvī)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about protecting women and the helpless?

This verse teaches that even ordinary beings refrain from harming a woman, and that a righteous king must be even more compassionate—especially toward the distressed.

Why did the Earth-goddess speak this way to King Pṛthu?

In the narrative, Pṛthu confronts the Earth for withholding resources; Bhūmi appeals to his dharma and innate compassion, discouraging harsh violence and urging merciful governance.

Practical application of compassion and restraint in modern life according to this shloka?

Exercise power with restraint: avoid harming the vulnerable, respond to conflict with empathy, and let compassion guide leadership and decision-making.