Shloka 39

Mahārāja Parīkṣit Cursed by a Brāhmaṇa Boy (Śṛṅgi) and the Moral Crisis of Kali-yuga

Devanagari script

स वा आङ्गिरसो ब्रह्मन् श्रुत्वा सुतविलापनम् । उन्मील्य शनकैर्नेत्रे द‍ृष्ट्वा चांसे मृतोरगम् ॥ ३९ ॥

Transliteration

sa vā āṅgiraso brahman śrutvā suta-vilāpanam unmīlya śanakair netre dṛṣṭvā cāṁse mṛtoragam

Translation

ఓ బ్రాహ్మణులారా, ఆంగిరస వంశజుడైన ఋషి కుమారుని విలాపం విని నెమ్మదిగా కన్నులు తెరిచి, తన మెడ చుట్టూ ఉన్న మృత సర్పాన్ని చూశాడు।

Synonyms

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम ‘he’

• vā: indeed
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle) ‘indeed/also’ (contextual emphasis)

• āṅgirasaḥ: the Āṅgirasa (sage)
• āṅgirasaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āṅgirasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; गोत्र/वंश-विशेषण ‘descendant of Aṅgiras’

• brahman: O brāhmaṇa
• brahman: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन; ‘O brāhmaṇa’

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु) (कृदन्त: क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), ‘having heard’

• suta-vilāpanam: the son’s lamentation
• suta-vilāpanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suta (प्रातिपदिक) + vilāpana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘son’s lamentation/crying’

• unmīlya: having opened
• unmīlya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√mīl (धातु) (कृदन्त: क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त; ‘having opened (eyes)’

• śanakaiḥ: slowly
• śanakaiḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śanaka (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial), instrumental plural form used adverbially: ‘slowly, gently’

• netre: (his) two eyes
• netre: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: netra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; ‘the two eyes’ (object of ‘opening’)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु) (कृदन्त: क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त; ‘having seen’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction) ‘and’

• aṁse: on (his) shoulder
• aṁse: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṁsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘on the shoulder’

• mṛta-uragam: the dead snake
• mṛta-uragam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + uraga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘dead serpent’

Characters & Entities

• Shamika Rishi
• Shringi
• Shaunaka

FAQs

Why did Shamika Rishi open his eyes and what did he see in Bhagavatam 1.18.39?

He opened his eyes after hearing his son Śṛṅgī’s lamentation and saw a dead serpent placed on his shoulder—left there by King Parīkṣit.

Who is speaking this verse in Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 1 Chapter 18?

Suta Gosvāmī narrates this incident to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya, addressing Śaunaka as “O brāhmaṇa.”

What practical lesson does Bhagavatam 1.18.39 teach for modern life?

It highlights how a small act of disrespect can ignite serious consequences, urging restraint, humility, and careful conduct—especially toward saints and sacred persons.