Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 37

The Fall of Purañjana and the Supersoul as the Eternal Friend

Purañjana-Upākhyāna Culmination

Devanagari script

शीतोष्णवातवर्षाणि क्षुत्पिपासे प्रियाप्रिये । सुखदु:खे इति द्वन्द्वान्यजयत्समदर्शन: ॥ ३७ ॥

Transliteration

śītoṣṇa-vāta-varṣāṇi kṣut-pipāse priyāpriye sukha-duḥkhe iti dvandvāny ajayat sama-darśanaḥ

Translation

Nhờ khổ hạnh, vua Malayadhvaja dần đạt cái nhìn bình đẳng trước các cặp đối đãi: lạnh-nóng, gió-mưa, đói-khát, ưa-ghét, vui-khổ. Như vậy, ngài chế ngự mọi tính tương đối của đời vật chất.

Synonyms

• शीतोष्णवातवर्षाणि: cold, heat, wind, and rain
• शीतोष्णवातवर्षाणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शीत + उष्ण + वात + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (copulative)

• क्षुत्पिपासे: hunger and thirst
• क्षुत्पिपासे: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुत् + पिपासा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः

• प्रियाप्रिये: the pleasant and the unpleasant
• प्रियाप्रिये: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय + अप्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः

• सुखदुःखे: happiness and sorrow
• सुखदुःखे: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख + दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/समाप्त्यर्थक (quotative particle)

• द्वन्द्वान्: pairs of opposites
• द्वन्द्वान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वन्द्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• अजयत्: he conquered
• अजयत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपदी, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• समदर्शनः: one with equal vision
• समदर्शनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: यस्य दर्शनं समम् (one whose vision is equal)

Purport

Liberation means becoming free from the relativities of the world. Unless one is self-realized, he has to undergo the dual struggle of the relative world. In Bhagavad-gītā Lord Kṛṣṇa advises Arjuna to conquer all relativities through tolerance. Lord Kṛṣṇa points out that it is the relativities like winter and summer that give us trouble in the material world. In the winter we do not like taking a bath, but in the summer we wish to take a bath twice, thrice or more a day. Thus Kṛṣṇa advises us not to be disturbed by such relativities and dualities when they come and go.

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about overcoming happiness and distress (sukha-duhkha)?

This verse teaches that a spiritually mature person becomes sama-darśana—equipoised—and thereby conquers the inevitable dualities such as happiness and distress, pleasant and unpleasant experiences.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe conquering cold, heat, hunger, and thirst in Canto 4?

In the Purañjana allegory, Śukadeva highlights the symptoms of inner steadiness: by equal vision and detachment, one is no longer defeated by bodily and material opposites like weather, appetite, and emotional likes and dislikes.

Practical application of sama-darshana (equal vision) in modern life?

Practice tolerance and steadiness: don’t let comfort/discomfort, praise/blame, or success/failure dictate your mind; stay fixed in dharma and remembrance of the Lord while doing your duties.