Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.54.11
भो भो: पुरुषशार्दूल दौर्मनस्यमिदं त्यज ।
न प्रियाप्रिययो राजन् निष्ठा देहिषु दृश्यते ॥ ११ ॥
bho bhoḥ puruṣa-śārdūla
[bho bhoh purusha-shaardoola]
daurmanasyam idaṁ tyaja
[daurmanasyam idam tyaja]
na priyāpriyayo rājan
[na priyaapriyayo raajan]
niṣṭhā dehiṣu dṛśyate
[nishthaa dehishu drishyate]
Word-for-word
bhoḥ bhoḥ
—
O sir
puruṣa
—
among men
śārdūla
—
O tiger
daurmana - syam
—
depressed state of mind
idam
—
this
tyaja
—
give up
na
—
no
priya
—
of the desirable
apriyayoḥ
—
or the undesirable
rājan
—
O King
niṣṭhā
—
permanence
dehiṣu
—
among embodied beings
dṛśyate
—
is seen .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
bho bhoḥ puruṣa-śārdūla
bhoḥ bhoḥ
O sir
puruṣa
among men
śārdūla
O tiger
daurmanasyam idaṁ tyaja
daurmana - syam
depressed state of mind
idam
this
tyaja
give up
na priyāpriyayo rājan
na
no
priya
of the desirable
apriyayoḥ
or the undesirable
rājan
O King
niṣṭhā dehiṣu dṛśyate
niṣṭhā
permanence
dehiṣu
among embodied beings
dṛśyate
is seen .
Important Words
-
śārdūla
—
tiger (vocative)
Tiger-of-men: stock epic flattery between defeated demons. The Bhāgavatam reproduces such epithets faithfully to show how the asurika mind props up its dignity with titles even in its lowest moment.
-
daurmana-syam
—
depressed state of mind
From durmanas (bad-minded, depressed). Note how Jarāsandha names depression but offers no actual remedy — only the māyāvāda-style consolation that 'nothing is permanent.' Gauḍīyas distinguish this dry detachment from prema's true equanimity.
-
priya-apriyayoḥ
—
of the desirable and undesirable
Dual genitive: priya (dear) + apriya (un-dear). The Gītā's same pair (BG 2.57) — but in the Gītā it is overcome by surrender to the Lord; in Jarāsandha's mouth it dwindles to fatalism.
-
niṣṭhā
—
permanence
From ni-√sthā, 'to stand firm'. The same word that in Gītā 3.3 and 18.50 names the firmness of devotional or jñāna-niṣṭhā. Jarāsandha can name the absence of niṣṭhā in the world; he cannot name the niṣṭhā in bhakti that is the answer.
-
dehiṣu
—
among embodied beings
Locative plural of dehin. Bodies are unstable; the dehin (the embodied self) is eternal — exactly what Balarāma will spell out at v. 45ff. Jarāsandha touches the truth but doesn't enter it.
[Jarāsandha said:] Listen, Śiśupāla, O tiger among men, give up your depression. After all, embodied beings’ happiness and unhappiness is never seen to be permanent, O King.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
[Jarāsandha said:] Listen, Śiśupāla, O tiger among men, give up your depression. After all, embodied beings' happiness and unhappiness is never seen to be permanent, O King.
Commentary
One does not see any permanence (nistha) of happiness and distress.
Jīva Gosvāmī
Gauḍīya
Commentary
Śukadeva mocks Śiśupāla through Jarāsandha’s words. He repeats “Bho , bho” to make Śiśupāla, in great pain, face him. It is not proper for a tiger among men to become depressed. Since you are king you should know that the jīva takes many bodies. That is indicated when he says, “O king (rājan)!”
Related values & verses
Related values
Shraddha (Faith / Reverence)Titiksha (Forbearance / Endurance)Mardava (Gentleness)Tejas (Inner Radiance / Vigour)Dhairya (Composure / Courage)Saurya (Heroism / Bravery)Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Vinaya (Humility / Modesty)Kartavya (Duty / Responsibility)Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Sthitaprajna (Steady Wisdom)Abhaya (Fearlessness)Dhriti (Resilience / Steadfastness / Fortitude)
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Concepts
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Personal Guidance
Listen, Śiśupāla, give up depression; embodied beings' happiness and unhappiness is never permanent. Even an enemy of dharma can offer correct philosophical counsel; truth comes through varied lips.
Reflection Questions
- Where do you reject philosophical truth because of the speaker?
- How do you receive impermanence-teaching from unlikely sources?
Analogy
Like a doctor whose own house is on fire prescribing calm to others, Jarāsandha lectures Śiśupāla on impermanence — the same Jarāsandha who, in eighteen battles, refused to learn the very lesson he teaches. Impersonal philosophy, divorced from surrender, becomes a polished mask for unhealed envy.
My note
Source: vedabase.io