Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 6

The Earth Laughs at World-Conquering Kings; Yuga-Dharma and the Remedy for Kali

Devanagari script

यां विसृज्यैव मनवस्तत्सुताश्च कुरूद्वह । गता यथागतं युद्धे तां मां जेष्यन्त्यबुद्धय: ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

yāṁ visṛjyaiva manavas tat-sutāś ca kurūdvaha gatā yathāgataṁ yuddhe tāṁ māṁ jeṣyanty abuddhayaḥ

Translation

噢，俱卢族之最！往昔摩奴与其子孙离我而去，在战场上如其来时一般无助地离世；然而至今，愚人仍妄图征服我。

Synonyms

• याम्: whom/which (me)
• याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• विसृज्य: having abandoned
• विसृज्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि√सृज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive); ‘having abandoned/let go’

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis: indeed/just)

• मनवः: the Manus
• मनवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तत्सुताः: their sons
• तत्सुताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (tat-suta = ‘their sons’)

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

• कुरूद्वह: O best of the Kurus
• कुरूद्वह: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्वह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थे प्रचलित (kurūdvaha = ‘best of the Kurus’)

• गताः: went, returned
• गताः: Kriyā (क्रिया/भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘gone/returned’ (used predicatively)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकार (as, just as)

• आगतम्: as (they) came; as before
• आगतम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘come’—here in idiom यथागतं = ‘as they came’

• युद्धे: in battle
• युद्धे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण (in battle)

• ताम्: that (me)
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देश (that = me)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• जेष्यन्ति: they will conquer
• जेष्यन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जि (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future); प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• अबुद्धयः: the foolish, the unintelligent
• अबुद्धयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ (नञ्-उपसर्ग) + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; नञ्-समासार्थे नकार (abuddhayaḥ = ‘those without understanding’)

Characters & Entities

• Parīkṣit Mahārāja
• Manu

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about trying to conquer God?

This verse states that only the unintelligent imagine they can conquer the Supreme Lord in battle; such a mentality arises from lack of true spiritual understanding.

Why does Shukadeva Goswami address Parikshit as 'best of the Kurus' here?

Śukadeva speaks to King Parīkṣit respectfully as a foremost descendant of the Kuru dynasty while instructing him on the folly of ignorance and the supremacy of the Lord.

How can this teaching be applied in modern life?

It encourages humility: instead of competing with the divine order through ego, one should cultivate spiritual intelligence, accept guidance, and align actions with dharma.