Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 50

Parīkṣit’s Inquiry into Vṛtrāsura’s Bhakti and the Beginning of Citraketu’s Trial

श्रुत्वा मृतं पुत्रमलक्षितान्तकं विनष्टद‍ृष्टि: प्रपतन् स्खलन् पथि । स्‍नेहानुबन्धैधितया शुचा भृशं विमूर्च्छितोऽनुप्रकृतिर्द्विजैर्वृत: ॥ ५० ॥ पपात बालस्य स पादमूले मृतस्य विस्रस्तशिरोरुहाम्बर: । दीर्घं श्वसन् बाष्पकलोपरोधतो निरुद्धकण्ठो न शशाक भाषितुम् ॥ ५१ ॥

śrutvā mṛtaṁ putram alakṣitāntakaṁ vinaṣṭa-dṛṣṭiḥ prapatan skhalan pathi snehānubandhaidhitayā śucā bhṛśaṁ vimūrcchito ’nuprakṛtir dvijair vṛtaḥ

เมื่อกษัตริย์จิตรเกตุทรงทราบข่าวการสิ้นพระชนม์ของพระราชโอรสด้วยสาเหตุที่ไม่ทราบแน่ชัด พระองค์แทบจะมืดบอดไป ด้วยความรักอันยิ่งใหญ่ที่มีต่อพระราชโอรส ความโศกเศร้าของพระองค์จึงลุกโชนดั่งไฟ และขณะที่เสด็จไปดูร่างไร้ลมหายใจ พระองค์ก็ทรงลื่นล้มลงกับพื้นซ้ำแล้วซ้ำเล่า

śrutvāhaving heard
śrutvā:
Hetu/Kāraṇa (हेतु/कारण)
TypeVerb
Rootśru (धातु)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), having heard; avyaya-kṛdanta
mṛtamdead
mṛtam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootmṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < mṛ (धातु)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; used adjectivally
putramson
putram:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootputra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular
alakṣita-antakamwhose death was unnoticed / unperceived death-bringer
alakṣita-antakam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roota-lakṣita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < lakṣ (धातु) + antaka (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; compound qualifying putram: ‘unnoticed (alakṣita) as death (antaka)’
vinaṣṭa-dṛṣṭiḥwith vision lost (bewildered)
vinaṣṭa-dṛṣṭiḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootvinaṣṭa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < naś (धातु) + dṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘one whose sight is lost’
prapatanfalling
prapatan:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootpra-pat (धातु)
FormPresent active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative Singular; ‘falling down’
skhalanstumbling
skhalan:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootskhal (धातु)
FormPresent active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative Singular; ‘stumbling’
pathion the path
pathi:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootpathin (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular
sneha-anubandha-idhitayāby grief inflamed by affectionate attachment
sneha-anubandha-idhitayā:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootsneha (प्रातिपदिक) + anubandha (प्रातिपदिक) + idhita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < indh/idh (धातु)
FormFeminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; compound: ‘by sorrow kindled (idhita) by attachment (anubandha) of affection (sneha)’
śucāby sorrow
śucā:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootśuc (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular
bhṛśamexcessively, greatly
bhṛśam:
Viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootbhṛśam (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (क्रियाविशेषण)
vimūrcchitaḥfainted
vimūrcchitaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootvi-mūrcchita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < mūrcch (धातु)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular
anuprakṛtiḥ(his) normal condition/awareness (lost)
anuprakṛtiḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootanu-prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; here in apposition/descriptor of the subject (one who is ‘not in normal state’, i.e., unconscious)
dvijaiḥby the brāhmaṇas
dvijaiḥ:
Sahakārī/Karaṇa (सहकारी/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootdvija (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural
vṛtaḥsurrounded
vṛtaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootvṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < vṛ (धातु)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular
C
Citraketu
C
Citraketu’s son
B
Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

This verse shows how overpowering parental affection can cause intense lamentation and even fainting, highlighting the Bhagavatam’s theme that worldly attachments bind the heart and deepen sorrow when the temporary is lost.

Because his affection (sneha) for his son was extremely strong; the shock of loss, combined with not understanding the cause of death, overwhelmed him and he fainted as he hurried toward the child.

It reminds a devotee to recognize the fragility of material relationships and to gradually anchor the mind in devotion and spiritual understanding, so grief does not completely eclipse clarity and faith.