Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 41
Nārada Instructs Prācīnabarhiṣat: The Purañjana Narrative Begins
City of Nine Gates
का नाम वीर विख्यातं वदान्यं प्रियदर्शनम् । न वृणीत प्रियं प्राप्तं मादृशी त्वादृशं पतिम् ॥ ४१ ॥
kā nāma vīra vikhyātaṁ vadānyaṁ priya-darśanam na vṛṇīta priyaṁ prāptaṁ mādṛśī tvādṛśaṁ patim
亲爱的英雄啊，这世上有谁不愿接受像你这样的夫君？你声名远播，慷慨大度，容貌悦目，又易得相逢。我这样的女子既得你为所爱，怎会不择你为夫？
Every husband is certainly a great hero to his wife. In other words, if a woman loves a man, that man appears very beautiful and magnanimous. Unless one becomes beautiful in the eyes of another, one cannot dedicate his whole life to another. The husband is considered very magnanimous because he gives as many children to the wife as she likes. Every woman is fond of children; therefore any husband who can please his wife by sex and give her children is considered very magnanimous. Not only does the husband become magnanimous by begetting children, but by giving his wife ornaments, nice food and dresses, he keeps her completely under submission. Such a satisfied wife will never give up the company of her husband. Manu-saṁhitā recommends that to keep a wife satisfied a husband should give her some ornaments because women are generally fond of home, ornaments, dresses, children, etc. In this way the woman is the center of all material enjoyment.
FAQs
This verse portrays strong attraction and admiration as the maiden expresses that a woman like her would naturally choose a husband like the celebrated, generous Purañjana—setting the stage for the Bhagavatam’s allegorical teaching about the soul’s entanglement through desire.
In the narrative, she responds to Purañjana’s approach by praising his fame, generosity, and charm, indicating acceptance—an episode that functions allegorically to show how the jīva becomes bound by alluring material prospects.
It cautions that praise and attraction can quickly shape major life choices; practicing discernment, shared values, and spiritual priorities helps prevent attachment from becoming bondage.