Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 24

The Deliverance of King Nṛga and the Warning Against Taking Brāhmaṇa Property

Devanagari script

पूर्वं देवाशुभं भुञ्ज इति प्राह पतेति स: । तावदद्राक्षमात्मानं कृकलासं पतन् प्रभो ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

pūrvaṁ devāśubhaṁ bhuñja iti prāha pateti saḥ tāvad adrākṣam ātmānaṁ kṛkalāsaṁ patan prabho

Translation

我回答说：“主啊，让我先受罪业的果报。”阎摩罗阇说：“那就坠落吧！”我立刻坠下，在坠落之际看见自己变成了一只蜥蜴，噢主宰。

Synonyms

• pūrvam: first
• pūrvam: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• deva: O Lord
• deva: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• aśubham: inauspicious (evil)
• aśubham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• bhuñja: experience
• bhuñja: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhuj (भुज्) (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यम), Singular, Parasmaipada; √bhuj

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात)

• prāha: said
• prāha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ah (अह्/ब्रू) (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथम), Singular, Parasmaipada; √ah ‘to say’

• pate: O lord
• pate: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• tāvat: then/so long
• tāvat: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (परिमाण/काल-क्रियाविशेषण) ‘so long/then’

• adrākṣam: I saw
• adrākṣam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (दृश्) (धातु)
• Form: Aorist (लुङ्), 1st person (उत्तम), Singular, Parasmaipada; √dṛś

• ātmānam: myself
• ātmānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; reflexive object

• kṛkalāsam: a lizard
• kṛkalāsam: Karma (कर्म) (object-complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛkalāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• patan: falling
• patan: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pat (पत्) (धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ-कृदन्त), Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; agreeing with kṛkalāsam/ātmānam

• prabho: O master
• prabho: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Parīkṣit Mahārāja
• the devas (gods)
• the cursed person (later delivered in the narrative)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about suffering one’s karmic reactions?

This verse depicts a person willingly accepting the inauspicious result (“let me suffer it first”), illustrating responsibility for karma and the inevitability of its reaction until divine grace intervenes.

Why does the speaker address the devas as ‘lords’ and accept the punishment first?

He acknowledges higher authority and submits to the consequence of wrongdoing, showing humility and acceptance—an attitude that later becomes favorable for receiving deliverance.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Accept responsibility for the results of one’s actions without blame, cultivate humility, and seek divine guidance—transforming hardship into a step toward purification.