Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 3

Dakṣa Offends Lord Śiva: Cursing and Countercursing in the Sacrificial Assembly

Devanagari script

एतदाख्याहि मे ब्रह्मन्जामातु: श्वशुरस्य च । विद्वेषस्तु यत: प्राणांस्तत्यजे दुस्त्यजान्सती ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

etad ākhyāhi me brahman jāmātuḥ śvaśurasya ca vidveṣas tu yataḥ prāṇāṁs tatyaje dustyajān satī

Translation

噢婆罗门弥勒多耶，请为我开示：女婿与岳父之间因何生起如此深重的怨憎，以致伟大的女神萨蒂竟舍弃了本难舍离的生命？

Synonyms

• एतत्: this (matter)
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• आख्याहि: tell, explain
• आख्याहि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ख्या (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मे: to me / for me
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th, genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ब्रह्मन्: O brāhmaṇa / O Brahman
• ब्रह्मन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th, vocative), एकवचन

• जामातुः: of the son-in-law
• जामातुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जामातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th, genitive), एकवचन

• श्वशुरस्य: of the father-in-law
• श्वशुरस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वशुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th, genitive), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• विद्वेषः: hatred
• विद्वेषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्वेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st, nominative), एकवचन

• तु: but / indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (adversative/emphatic particle)

• यतः: because / from which
• यतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक (causal adverb: 'because/whence')

• प्राणान्: life-breaths, life
• प्राणान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd, accusative), बहुवचन

• तत्यजे: she abandoned, gave up
• तत्यजे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दुस्त्यजान्: hard-to-give-up
• दुस्त्यजान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुस्-त्यज (कृदन्त; धातु √त्यज्)
• Form: उपसर्गपूर्वक (दुस्-), शतृ/शानच्-प्राय विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; 'त्यक्तुं अशक्य' (hard to abandon)

• सती: Satī
• सती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st, nominative), एकवचन; (दक्षपुत्री सती)

Characters & Entities

• Satī
• Dakṣa
• Śiva

FAQs

Why did Satī give up her life in the Srimad Bhagavatam?

This verse points to the intense enmity between Dakṣa and Lord Śiva; Satī abandoned her life due to the unbearable dishonor and hostility connected with that conflict.

Why did Vidura ask this question to the sage (Maitreya)?

Vidura seeks a clear narration of how the father-in-law (Dakṣa) and son-in-law (Śiva) became enemies, since that feud is the direct cause behind Satī’s tragic decision.

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

Unchecked hatred and social dishonor can destroy relationships and inner peace; the Bhagavatam urges humility, restraint, and avoiding offenses—especially toward saintly persons.