Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 25

Diti’s Puṁsavana Vow, Indra’s Intervention, and the Birth of the Maruts

Devanagari script

कृमिविड्भस्मसंज्ञासीद्यस्येशाभिहितस्य च । भूतध्रुक् तत्कृते स्वार्थं किं वेद निरयो यत: ॥ २५ ॥

Transliteration

kṛmi-viḍ-bhasma-saṁjñāsīd yasyeśābhihitasya ca bhūta-dhruk tat-kṛte svārthaṁ kiṁ veda nirayo yataḥ

Translation

死后，所有被称为国王和伟大领袖的统治者的身体都会变成蛆虫、粪便或灰烬。如果一个人为了保护这样的身体而嫉妒地杀害他人，他真的知道生命的真正利益吗？当然不知道，因为如果一个人嫉妒其他众生，他肯定会下地狱。

Synonyms

• कृमि-विड्-भस्म-संज्ञा: the designation/name ‘worm–stool–ash’
• कृमि-विड्-भस्म-संज्ञा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृमि (प्रातिपदिक) + विड् (प्रातिपदिक) + भस्म (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/समाहारार्थ-समासः (name/designation consisting of ‘worm, excrement, ash’)

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यस्य: of whom/whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• ईशा: the mistress/lady (Diti)
• ईशा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• अभिहितस्य: of the one who was so called/declared
• अभिहितस्य: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-धा (धातु) → अभिहित (कृदन्त/कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; ‘said/declared’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• भूत-ध्रुक्: the injurer of beings
• भूत-ध्रुक्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्रुच्/ध्रुज् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘injurer’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘injurer of beings’)

• तत्-कृते: for that (purpose/reason)
• तत्-कृते: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; ‘for that reason/for that purpose’ (हेतौ/निमित्ते)

• स्वार्थम्: one’s own interest
• स्वार्थम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; कर्मपद

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• वेद: knows
• वेद: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• निरयः: hell (state of misery)
• निरयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निरय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• यतः: from which/wherefrom; because of which
• यतः: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (relative adverb): ‘from which/wherefrom/for which reason’

Purport

The material body, even if possessed by a great king, is ultimately transformed into stool, worms or ashes. When one is too attached to the bodily conception of life, he is certainly not very intelligent.

Characters & Entities

• Īśa (the Supreme Lord)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about harming other living beings (bhūta-dhruk)?

This verse condemns the mentality of harming others and states that such cruelty blinds one to true self-interest, leading instead toward hellish consequences.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe someone as becoming 'worm, stool, or ashes'?

He uses stark imagery to show the degraded destiny and identity a soul may receive by the Lord’s judgment due to sinful, harmful actions—highlighting the karmic result of cruelty.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Avoid causing harm—physically, verbally, or mentally—and cultivate compassion and dharma, since cruelty ultimately damages one’s own spiritual welfare and peace.