Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 33

The Forest of Material Existence (Saṁsāra-vana) and the Delivering Path of Bharata’s Teachings

Devanagari script

एवमध्वन्यवरुन्धानो मृत्युगजभयात्तमसि गिरिकन्दरप्राये ॥ ३३ ॥

Transliteration

evam adhvany avarundhāno mṛtyu-gaja-bhayāt tamasi giri-kandara-prāye.

Translation

在此物质世界中，受缚之灵若忘却与至上人格神的关系，不顾克里希纳意识，便沉溺于种种罪恶与放逸之行。随后他遭受三重苦恼的逼迫，并因惧怕“死亡之象”，坠入如山洞般的幽暗之中。

Synonyms

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: क्रियाविशेषण (kriyā-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable); प्रकारवाचक (manner-adverb)

• अध्वनि: on the road/path
• अध्वनि: अधिकरण (adhikaraṇa/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति (7th/locative); एकवचन

• अवरुन्धानः: being obstructed/hemmed in
• अवरुन्धानः: कर्ता (kartā/agent)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अवरुध् (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्तः (present active participle); परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन

• मृत्यु-गज-भयात्: from fear of the elephant of death
• मृत्यु-गज-भयात्: अपादान (apādāna/source-cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक) + गज (प्रातिपदिक) + भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (भय); पञ्चमी विभक्ति (5th/ablative); एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मृत्योः गजस्य भयम्)

• तमसि: in darkness
• तमसि: अधिकरण (adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति; एकवचन

• गिरि-कन्दर-प्राये: in a place like a mountain cave
• गिरि-कन्दर-प्राये: विशेषण (viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक) + कन्दर (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति; एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (गिरिकन्दर-प्रायः = cave-like/mountain-cave-like)

Purport

Everyone is afraid of death, and however strong a materialistic person may be, when there is disease and old age one must certainly accept death’s notice. The conditioned soul becomes very morose to receive notice of death. His fear is compared to the fear experienced upon entering a dark mountain cave, and death is compared to a great elephant.

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about fear of death?

This verse depicts death as a powerful “elephant” that terrifies the conditioned soul, driving him into deeper ignorance (tamas) rather than toward spiritual shelter.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe the material world as a dark cave here?

In Canto 5, Chapter 14’s allegory, the soul’s material journey becomes obstructed and fear-driven, and the “mountain-cave” image conveys entrapment—an increasingly inescapable condition of ignorance.

How can I apply this Bhagavatam teaching in modern life?

Instead of letting anxiety about death push you into distraction and darkness, take it as a prompt to seek clarity through sādhana—hearing sacred wisdom, cultivating devotion, and living with detachment from fleeting pleasures.