Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 23

Nārada Instructs Prācīnabarhiṣat: The Purañjana Narrative Begins

City of Nine Gates

Devanagari script

पिशङ्गनीवीं सुश्रोणीं श्यामां कनकमेखलाम् । पद्‌भ्यां क्‍वणद्‌भ्यां चलन्तीं नूपुरैर्देवतामिव ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

piśaṅga-nīvīṁ suśroṇīṁ śyāmāṁ kanaka-mekhalām padbhyāṁ kvaṇadbhyāṁ calantīṁ nūpurair devatām iva

Translation

她的腰肢与臀部极其婀娜；身着黄衣，系以金带。行步之间足铃叮当作响，宛如天界仙女。

Synonyms

• पिशङ्ग: tawny
• पिशङ्ग: Samāsa-aṅga (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिशङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (stem in compound); ‘tawny/reddish’

• नीवीम्: wearing a tawny garment
• नीवीम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति एकवचन; समासः: पिशङ्ग-नीवी (कर्मधारय: ‘having a tawny garment/waist-cloth’)

• सुश्रोणीम्: beautiful-hipped
• सुश्रोणीम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + श्रोणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति एकवचन; समासः: सु-श्रोणी (कर्मधारय: ‘with beautiful hips’)

• श्यामाम्: dark-complexioned
• श्यामाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्यामा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति एकवचन; ‘dark/blackish’

• कनक: gold
• कनक: Samāsa-aṅga (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (stem in compound)

• मेखलाम्: a golden girdle
• मेखलाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेखला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति एकवचन; समासः: कनक-मेखलाम् (तत्पुरुष: ‘a golden girdle’)

• पद्भ्याम्: with (her) feet
• पद्भ्याम्: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति द्विवचन

• क्वणद्भ्याम्: tinkling
• क्वणद्भ्याम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्वण् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति द्विवचन; पद्भ्याम् इति विशेषणम्; ‘tinkling/sounding’

• चलन्तीम्: walking
• चलन्तीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चल् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति एकवचन; ‘walking/moving’

• नूपुरैः: with anklets
• नूपुरैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नूपुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति बहुवचन

• देवताम्: a goddess
• देवताम्: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति एकवचन

• इव: like/as
• इव: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमावाचक (particle of comparison)

Purport

This verse expresses the joyfulness of the mind upon seeing a woman with raised hips and breasts dressed in an attractive sārī and bedecked with ornaments.

Characters & Entities

• King Purañjana
• The young woman (allegorical figure of the body/intelligence)

FAQs

What is the meaning of the beautiful woman in the Purañjana story (Bhagavatam 4.25)?

In this allegory, her captivating beauty symbolizes the embodied condition that attracts the soul toward sense enjoyment, beginning the chain of identification and bondage.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe her ornaments and anklets in such detail?

The vivid description highlights how external charm and sensory sounds entice the mind, illustrating the subtle power of māyā within the narrative of King Purañjana.

How can this verse be applied in modern life?

It teaches mindful restraint: recognize how sense-objects captivate attention, and redirect the mind toward devotional hearing and remembrance to avoid being led by attraction alone.