Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 40

Vāmanadeva Praises Bali; the Measure of Three Steps; Śukrācārya Warns Against the Gift

Devanagari script

तद् यथा वृक्ष उन्मूल: शुष्यत्युद्वर्ततेऽचिरात् । एवं नष्टानृत: सद्य आत्मा शुष्येन्न संशय: ॥ ४० ॥

Transliteration

tad yathā vṛkṣa unmūlaḥ śuṣyaty udvartate ’cirāt evaṁ naṣṭānṛtaḥ sadya ātmā śuṣyen na saṁśayaḥ

Translation

เมื่อถอนต้นไม้ขึ้นทั้งราก ต้นไม้นั้นย่อมล้มและแห้งเหี่ยวในไม่ช้า ฉันใดก็ฉันนั้น เมื่อถอนรากแห่ง ‘ความไม่จริง’ ที่ค้ำจุนกายออก กายย่อมแห้งเหี่ยวทันที—ไม่ต้องสงสัย

Synonyms

• तत्: so/that
• तत्: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Correlative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपमान-प्रस्तावक निपात (correlative particle: ‘that/so’)

• यथा: as
• यथा: उपमान (Comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (comparative: as)

• वृक्षः: a tree
• वृक्षः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उन्मूलः: uprooted
• उन्मूलः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत् + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (उन्मूलं यस्य सः) ‘uprooted’

• शुष्यति: dries up
• शुष्यति: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• उद्वर्तते: is overturned/withers away
• उद्वर्तते: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• अचिरात्: soon
• अचिरात्: कालाधिकरण (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अचिरात् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: soon)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (thus)

• नष्टानृतः: with falsehood destroyed
• नष्टानृतः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नष्ट + अनृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; कर्मधारय (नष्टं अनृतं यस्य/नष्टम्-अनृतम्) ‘whose falsehood is destroyed’

• सद्यः: immediately
• सद्यः: कालाधिकरण (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सद्यः (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (immediately)

• आत्मा: the self
• आत्मा: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• शुष्येत्: would dry up
• शुष्येत्: विधेय-क्रिया (Optative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: no/not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: विधेय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

Purport

In this regard, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī says:

Characters & Entities

• Bali Mahārāja
• Vāmana (Trivikrama)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about truthfulness (satya)?

This verse teaches that truthfulness is like the root of a tree—when it is destroyed by falsehood, one’s inner life and spiritual vitality quickly wither.

Why is this teaching spoken in the Bali Maharaja and Vamana avatara story?

In the context of Bali’s promise to Vāmana, the Bhagavatam emphasizes that breaking truth and vows ruins a person from within, whereas integrity sustains dharma even under pressure.

How can I apply this Bhagavatam lesson in modern life?

Guard your commitments and speak truthfully—because consistent honesty preserves inner strength, clarity, and devotion, while habitual deception erodes character and spiritual progress.