Srimad Bhagavatam — Prathama Skandha, Shloka 26

Parīkṣit’s Vow on the Gaṅgā and the Advent of Śukadeva Gosvāmī

Devanagari script

तं द्व‌्यष्टवर्षं सुकुमारपाद- करोरुबाह्वंसकपोलगात्रम् । चार्वायताक्षोन्नसतुल्यकर्ण- सुभ्र्वाननं कम्बुसुजातकण्ठम् ॥ २६ ॥

Transliteration

taṁ dvyaṣṭa-varṣaṁ su-kumāra-pāda- karoru-bāhv-aṁsa-kapola-gātram cārv-āyatākṣonnasa-tulya-karṇa- subhrv-ānanaṁ kambu-sujāta-kaṇṭham

Translation

Ang anak ni Vyāsadeva ay labing-anim na taong gulang pa lamang. Ang kanyang mga paa, kamay, hita, bisig, balikat, pisngi, noo at iba pang bahagi ng katawan ay maselang hinubog at maganda ang anyo. Malalapad at kaakit-akit ang mga mata; matangos ang ilong at mataas din ang mga tainga. Napakaganda ng mukha, at ang leeg ay maayos at marikit na tulad ng banal na kabibe (śaṅkha).

Synonyms

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; pronoun referring to the sage

• dvyaṣṭa-varṣam: ten-year-old
• dvyaṣṭa-varṣam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi (संख्या) + aṣṭa (संख्या) + varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (dvi+aṣṭa=10); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; age-descriptor

• su-kumāra-pāda-karoru-bāhu-aṁsa-kapola-gātram: whose limbs—feet, hands, thighs, arms, shoulders, cheeks—were very delicate
• su-kumāra-pāda-karoru-bāhu-aṁsa-kapola-gātram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + kumāra (प्रातिपदिक) + pāda (प्रातिपदिक) + kara (प्रातिपदिक) + ūru (प्रातिपदिक) + bāhu (प्रातिपदिक) + aṁsa (प्रातिपदिक) + kapola (प्रातिपदिक) + gātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (yasya gātrāṇi su-kumāra-...); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; multi-member compound describing body parts

• cāru-āyata-akṣa-unnasa-tulya-karṇa-subhru-ānanam: whose face had lovely long eyes, a high nose, symmetrical ears, and beautiful eyebrows
• cāru-āyata-akṣa-unnasa-tulya-karṇa-subhru-ānanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cāru (प्रातिपदिक) + āyata (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + unnasa (प्रातिपदिक) + tulya (प्रातिपदिक) + karṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + su-bhru (प्रातिपदिक) + ānana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (yasya ānanaṃ cāru-āyata-akṣa-...); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• kambu-sujāta-kaṇṭham: having a well-formed conch-like neck
• kambu-sujāta-kaṇṭham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kambu (प्रातिपदिक) + sujāta (प्रातिपदिक) + kaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (yasya kaṇṭhaḥ kambu-sujātaḥ); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

Purport

A respectable personality is described beginning with the legs, and this honored system is observed here with Śukadeva Gosvāmī. He was only sixteen years of age. A person is honored for his achievements and not for advanced age. A person can be older by experience and not by age. Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī, who is described herein as the son of Vyāsadeva, was by his knowledge more experienced than all the sages present there, although he was only sixteen years old.

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī

FAQs

Who is Śukadeva Gosvāmī in Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 1 Chapter 19?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī is the liberated sage who arrives to speak Śrīmad Bhāgavatam to King Parīkṣit; this verse describes his youthful yet extraordinary, auspicious appearance.

Why does the Bhagavatam describe Śukadeva Gosvāmī’s physical features in detail?

The description highlights the saint’s divine, auspicious presence—showing that a pure messenger of Bhāgavata wisdom can appear youthful while embodying spiritual perfection.

What is the practical lesson of this verse for modern life?

Seek genuine spiritual guidance by recognizing saintly qualities and associating with realized teachers—then hear and study Bhāgavata teachings with faith and attention.