FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 9.19.3

बस्त एको वने कश्चिद् विचिन्वन् प्रियमात्मन: । ददर्श कूपे पतितां स्वकर्मवशगामजाम् ॥ ३ ॥
basta eko vane kaścid
[basta eko vane kashchid]
vicinvan priyam ātmanaḥ
[vichinvan priyam aatmanah]
dadarśa kūpe patitāṁ
[dadarsha koope patitaam]
sva-karma-vaśagām ajām
[sva-karma-vashagaam ajaam]
bastaḥ — goat ekaḥ — one vane — in a forest kaścit — some vicinvan — searching for food priyam — very dear ātmanaḥ — for himself dadarśa — saw by chance kūpe — within a well patitām — fallen sva-karma-vaśa-gām — under the influence of the results of fruitive activities ajām — a she-goat.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
basta eko vane kaścid
bastaḥ
goat
ekaḥ
one
vane
in a forest
kaścit
some
vicinvan priyam ātmanaḥ
vicinvan
searching for food
priyam
very dear
ātmanaḥ
for himself
dadarśa kūpe patitāṁ
dadarśa
saw by chance
kūpe
within a well
patitām
fallen
sva-karma-vaśagām ajām
sva-karma-vaśa-gām
under the influence of the results of fruitive activities
ajām
a she-goat.
While wandering in the forest, eating to satisfy his senses, a he-goat by chance approached a well, in which he saw a she-goat standing helplessly, having fallen into it by the influence of the results of fruitive activities.

Here Mahārāja Yayāti compares himself to a he-goat and Devayānī to a she-goat and describes the nature of man and woman. Like a he-goat, a man searches for sense gratification, wandering here and there, and a woman without the shelter of a man or husband is like a she-goat that has fallen into a well. Without being cared for by a man, a woman cannot be happy. Indeed, she is just like a she-goat that has fallen into a well and is struggling for existence. Therefore a woman must take shelter of her father, as Devayānī did when under the care of Śukrācārya, and then the father must give the daughter in charity to a suitable man, or a suitable man should help the woman by placing her under the care of a husband. This is shown vividly by the life of Devayānī. When King Yayāti delivered Devayānī from the well, she felt great relief and requested Yayāti to accept her as his wife. But when Mahārāja Yayāti accepted Devayānī, he became too attached and had sex life not only with her but with others, like Śarmiṣṭhā. Yet still he was dissatisfied. Therefore one should retire by force from such family life as Yayāti’s. When one is fully convinced of the degrading nature of worldly family life, one should completely renounce this way of life, take sannyāsa, and engage himself fully in the service of the Lord. Then one’s life will be successful.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
While wandering in the forest, looking for food, a he-goat by chance approached a well, in which he saw a she-goat who had fallen there under the control of karma. The goat refers to Yayāti. The forest is saṁsāra. The female goat is material happiness represented by Devayānī.
A he-goat wandering for sense gratification finds a she-goat stuck in a well by her past karma. Both partners in many an entanglement arrive by their own karmic trajectories — and the meeting itself is providence-engineered.
Reflection Questions
  • How might my present relationships be karmic meetings rather than free romantic choices?
  • Where could that view soften my reactions and deepen my responsibility?
📝 My note

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