Shloka 4

Devanagari script

पूर्वं निर्जित्य षड्‌वर्गं जेष्यामो राजमन्त्रिण: । तत: सचिवपौराप्तकरीन्द्रानस्य कण्टकान् ॥ ३ ॥ एवं क्रमेण जेष्याम: पृथ्वीं सागरमेखलाम् । इत्याशाबद्धहृदया न पश्यन्त्यन्तिकेऽन्तकम् ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

pūrvaṁ nirjitya ṣaḍ-vargaṁ jeṣyāmo rāja-mantriṇaḥ tataḥ saciva-paurāpta- karīndrān asya kaṇṭakān

Translation

กษัตริย์และนักการเมืองคิดว่า: “ก่อนอื่นเราจะพิชิตศัตรูหกประการ (อินทรีย์และใจ); แล้วจึงปราบรัฐมนตรีใหญ่ และกำจัด ‘หนาม’ คือที่ปรึกษา พลเมือง มิตรญาติ และคนเลี้ยงช้าง ต่อจากนั้นจะค่อย ๆ พิชิตแผ่นดินที่มีมหาสมุทรเป็นขอบเขต” แต่เพราะใจถูกผูกด้วยความคาดหวัง จึงไม่เห็นความตายที่อยู่ใกล้

Synonyms

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/in this way)

• क्रमेण: step by step, in order
• क्रमेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/प्रकार (by stages)

• जेष्यामः: we shall conquer
• जेष्यामः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जि (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future/भविष्यत्काल); उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• पृथ्वीम्: the earth
• पृथ्वीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथ्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• सागरमेखलाम्: girdled by the ocean
• सागरमेखलाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सागर (प्रातिपदिक) + मेखला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (sāgara-mekhalā = ‘having the ocean as girdle’), विशेषण of पृथ्वीम्

• इति: thus (thinking/saying)
• इति: Vākyopasaṃhāra (वाक्योपसंहार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक/उद्धरणचिह्न (quotative)

• आशाबद्धहृदयाः: whose hearts are bound by hope
• आशाबद्धहृदयाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आशा (प्रातिपदिक) + बद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (āśā-baddha-hṛdaya = ‘whose hearts are bound by hope’), विशेषण of implied subject (they)

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

• पश्यन्ति: they see
• पश्यन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• अन्तिके: nearby, close at hand
• अन्तिके: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (in proximity)

• अन्तकम्: Death; the ender
• अन्तकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

Purport

To satisfy their greed for power, determined politicians, dictators and military leaders undergo severe austerities and sacrifice, with much self-discipline. Then they lead their great nations in a struggle to control the sea, land, air and space. Although the politicians and their followers will soon be dead — since birth and death are all inevitable in this world — they persist in their frenetic struggle for ephemeral glory.

Characters & Entities

• Death (Antaka)
• King (implied)
• Ministers (implied)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about worldly conquest and ambition in Kali Yuga?

This verse describes people plotting step-by-step political domination, yet being so bound by hope that they fail to notice death approaching—highlighting the futility of material conquest in Kali Yuga.

Who is speaking this verse in Bhagavatam 12.3.4 and to whom?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī speaks these words to Mahārāja Parīkṣit while describing the mentality and degradation of people in Kali Yuga.

Practical application: how can I use the message of Bhagavatam 12.3.4 in modern life?

Prioritize inner victory over the ṣaḍ-varga (lust, anger, greed, illusion, pride, envy), and remember life’s uncertainty; align goals with bhakti and lasting spiritual progress rather than endless external “conquests.”