FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.8.4

तमुपश्रुत्य सा मृगवधू: प्रकृतिविक्लवा चकितनिरीक्षणा सुतरामपिहरिभयाभिनिवेशव्यग्रहृदया पारिप्लवद‍ृष्टिरगततृषा भयात् सहसैवोच्चक्राम ॥ ४ ॥
tam upaśrutya sā mṛga-vadhūḥ prakṛti-viklavā cakita-nirīkṣaṇā sutarām api hari-bhayābhiniveśa-vyagra-hṛdayā pāriplava-dṛṣṭir agata-tṛṣā bhayāt sahasaivoccakrāma.
[tam upashrutya saa mriga-vadhooh prakriti-viklavaa chakita-nireekshanaa sutaraam api hari-bhayaabhinivesha-vyagra-hridayaa paariplava-drishtir agata-trishaa bhayaat sahasaivochchakraama.]
Word-for-word
tam upaśrutya — hearing that tumultuous sound sā — that mṛga-vadhūḥ — wife of a deer prakṛti-viklavā — by nature always afraid of being killed by others cakita-nirīkṣaṇā — having wandering eyes sutarām api — almost immediately hari — of the lion bhaya — of fear abhiniveśa — by the entrance vyagra-hṛdayā — whose mind was agitated pāriplava-dṛṣṭiḥ — whose eyes were moving to and fro agata-tṛṣā — without fully satisfying the thirst bhayāt — out of fear sahasā — suddenly eva — certainly uccakrāma — crossed the river.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tam upaśrutya sā mṛga-vadhūḥ prakṛti-viklavā cakita-nirīkṣaṇā sutarām api hari-bhayābhiniveśa-vyagra-hṛdayā pāriplava-dṛṣṭir agata-tṛṣā bhayāt sahasaivoccakrāma.
tam upaśrutya
hearing that tumultuous sound
sā
that
mṛga-vadhūḥ
wife of a deer
prakṛti-viklavā
by nature always afraid of being killed by others
cakita-nirīkṣaṇā
having wandering eyes
sutarām api
almost immediately
hari
of the lion
bhaya
of fear
abhiniveśa
by the entrance
vyagra-hṛdayā
whose mind was agitated
pāriplava-dṛṣṭiḥ
whose eyes were moving to and fro
agata-tṛṣā
without fully satisfying the thirst
bhayāt
out of fear
sahasā
suddenly
eva
certainly
uccakrāma
crossed the river.
By nature the doe was always afraid of being killed by others, and it was always looking about suspiciously. When it heard the lion’s tumultuous roar, it became very agitated. Looking here and there with disturbed eyes, the doe, although it had not fully satisfied itself by drinking water, suddenly leaped across the river.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Hearing that sound, the doe, whose nature was to be alarmed, with restless eyes, with fear of the lion entering its agitated heart, with irresolute gaze, in terror leaped over the stream in the same instant, without satisfying her thirst. Sahasā means at the same time as the roar. Bhayāt means in terror. She jumped over the river.
Personal Guidance
Fear can make us leap before our work is finished — leaving the water half-drunk, the task half-done. Reactive flight rarely lands well. When alarm rises, pausing first is itself a spiritual act.
Reflection Questions
  • Where in your life are you about to leap away from something half-finished out of fear?
  • What would a more grounded response, instead of reactive flight, look like in that situation?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

← Read full Chapter 8