SB 9.18.11 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 9.18.11

अहो निरीक्ष्यतामस्या दास्या: कर्म ह्यसाम्प्रतम् । अस्मद्धार्यं धृतवती शुनीव हविरध्वरे ॥ ११ ॥

aho nirīkṣyatām asyā

[aho nireekshyataam asyaa]

dāsyāḥ karma hy asāmpratam

[daasyaah karma hy asaampratam]

asmad-dhāryaṁ dhṛtavatī

[asmad-dhaaryam dhritavatee]

śunīva havir adhvare

[shuneeva havir adhvare]

Word-for-word

aho — alas nirīkṣyatām — just see asyāḥ — of her (Śarmiṣṭhā) dāsyāḥ — just like our servant karma — activities hi — indeed asāmpratam — without any etiquette asmat-dhāryam — the garment meant for me dhṛtavatī — she has put on śunī iva — like a dog haviḥ — clarified butter adhvare — meant for offering in the sacrifice.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

aho nirīkṣyatām asyā

aho

alas

nirīkṣyatām

just see

asyāḥ

of her (Śarmiṣṭhā)

dāsyāḥ karma hy asāmpratam

dāsyāḥ

just like our servant

karma

activities

indeed

asāmpratam

without any etiquette

asmad-dhāryaṁ dhṛtavatī

asmat-dhāryam

the garment meant for me

dhṛtavatī

she has put on

śunīva havir adhvare

śunī iva

like a dog

haviḥ

clarified butter

adhvare

meant for offering in the sacrifice.

Oh, just see the activities of this servant-maid Śarmiṣṭhā! Disregarding all etiquette, she has put on my dress, just like a dog snatching clarified butter meant for use in a sacrifice.

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

Oh! Look at the actions of this servant-maid! Disregarding all etiquette, she has put on my dress, just like a dog snatching ghee meant for a sacrifice. She has improperly (asāmpratam) put on the clothing of a brāhmaṇa.

Personal Guidance

Devayānī calls Śarmiṣṭhā a dog snatching sacrificial butter. The brāhmaṇa girl's wounded pride leaps to vicious imagery — high birth is no insulation from low speech.

Reflection Questions

What vicious imagery have I used about someone whose 'offense' was actually small?
Where am I letting status-pride dictate the words I choose?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io