Shloka 20

Dharma, Purity, and the Inner Purpose of the Vedas

Karma-kāṇḍa Reoriented to Bhakti

Devanagari script

कलेर्दुर्विषह: क्रोधस्तमस्तमनुवर्तते । तमसा ग्रस्यते पुंसश्चेतना व्यापिनी द्रुतम् ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

kaler durviṣahaḥ krodhas tamas tam anuvartate tamasā grasyate puṁsaś cetanā vyāpinī drutam

Translation

కలహమునుండి సహించలేని క్రోధము పుడుతుంది; దాని వెంట అజ్ఞానాంధకారం వస్తుంది. ఆ తమస్సు త్వరగా మనిషి యొక్క విస్తారమైన చైతన్యాన్ని గ్రసిస్తుంది.

Synonyms

• कलेः: of Kali/discord
• कलेः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; genitive singular

• दुर्विषहः: hard to endure
• दुर्विषहः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + विषह (प्रातिपदिक; √सह धातु-निष्पन्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular; कर्मधारयः (दुष्टः/दुर्लभः विषहः = hard to endure)

• क्रोधः: anger
• क्रोधः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular

• तमः: darkness/ignorance
• तमः: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular

• तम्: that (darkness)
• तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; accusative singular

• अनुवर्तते: follows
• अनुवर्तते: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• तमसा: by darkness
• तमसा: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; instrumental singular

• ग्रस्यते: is swallowed/overpowered
• ग्रस्यते: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• पुंसः: of a man
• पुंसः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंस्/पुम्स् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; genitive singular

• चेतना: consciousness
• चेतना: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेतना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular

• व्यापिनी: all-pervading
• व्यापिनी: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular; चेतना-विशेषणम्

• द्रुतम्: quickly
• द्रुतम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्रुतम् (अव्यय/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Purport

The desire for material association arises from one’s propensity to deny that everything is God’s energy. Falsely imagining material sense objects to be separate from the Supreme Lord, one desires to enjoy them; such desire gives rise to conflict and quarrel in human society. This conflict inevitably gives rise to great anger, which makes human beings become foolish and destructive. Thus the actual goal of human life is quickly forgotten.

Characters & Entities

• Kali

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about anger in Kali Yuga?

This verse states that in Kali-yuga anger becomes extremely difficult to tolerate, and it is accompanied by increasing ignorance (tamas), which quickly overwhelms one’s consciousness.

Why did Krishna say this to Uddhava in the Uddhava Gita?

Kṛṣṇa is instructing Uddhava about how the modes of nature intensify in Kali-yuga—especially tamas—so that Uddhava can understand the spiritual dangers of the age and remain fixed in devotional awareness.

Practical application: how can I avoid being overwhelmed by tamas and anger today?

Recognize anger as a symptom of rising tamas, pause before reacting, and deliberately return to sāttvic and bhakti practices—such as chanting, hearing scripture, and keeping uplifting association—so consciousness is not “swallowed” by ignorance.