Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 37

Kṛṣṇa Visits Indraprastha; Kuntī’s Remembrance; Kālindī and Further Marriages

Devanagari script

यत्पादपङ्कजरज: शिरसा बिभर्ति श्रीरब्जज: सगिरिश: सहलोकपालै: । लीलातनु: स्वकृतसेतुपरीप्सया य: कालेऽदधत्स भगवान् मम केन तुष्येत् ॥ ३७ ॥

Transliteration

yat-pāda-paṅkaja-rajaḥ śirasā bibharti śṛīr abya-jaḥ sa-giriśaḥ saha loka-pālaiḥ līlā-tanuḥ sva-kṛta-setu-parīpsayā yaḥ kāle ’dadhat sa bhagavān mama kena tuṣyet

Translation

“Goddess Lakṣmī, Lord Brahma, Lord Śiva and the rulers of the various planets place the dust of His lotus feet on their heads, and to protect the codes of religion, which He has created, He assumes pastime incarnations at various times. How may that Supreme Personality of Godhead become pleased with me?”

Synonyms

• yat-pāda-paṅkaja-rajaḥ: the dust of whose lotus-feet
• yat-pāda-paṅkaja-rajaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + pāda + paṅkaja + rajas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsaka, Prathamā (nom), Ekavacana; relative-genitive tatpuruṣa chain: ‘yasya pāda-paṅkajasya rajaḥ’

• śirasā: on (his) head / with the head
• śirasā: Adhikaraṇa/Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsaka, Tṛtīyā (instr), Ekavacana

• bibharti: bears, carries
• bibharti: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhṛ (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• śrīḥ: Śrī (Lakṣmī)
• śrīḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; Lakṣmī

• abja-jaḥ: the lotus-born (Brahmā)
• abja-jaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abja + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; pañcamī/ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa sense: ‘abjāt jātaḥ’ = born from the lotus (Brahmā)

• sa-giriśaḥ: together with Giriśa (Śiva)
• sa-giriśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa (सह/सहित) + giriśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; avyayībhāva: ‘giriśena saha’ = together with Śiva

• saha: with
• saha: Sahārtha (सहार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; preposition-like indeclinable meaning ‘with’

• loka-pālaiḥ: with the guardians of the worlds
• loka-pālaiḥ: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka + pāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Tṛtīyā (instr), Bahuvacana; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: ‘lokānāṁ pālāḥ’

• līlā-tanuḥ: whose form is (divine) play
• līlā-tanuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: līlā + tanu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; karmadhāraya: ‘līlā-rūpā tanuḥ’ (one whose body is (for) play)

• sva-kṛta-setu-parīpsayā: by the wish to safeguard his own established order
• sva-kṛta-setu-parīpsayā: Hetu/Karaṇa (हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva + kṛta + setu + parīpsā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā (instr), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa chain: ‘svena kṛtaḥ setuḥ’ + ‘tasya parīpsā’ = by the desire to protect his own made boundary/bridge (order)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; relative pronoun

• kāle: in time / at the proper time
• kāle: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Saptamī (loc, 7th), Ekavacana

• adadhat: assumed / put on
• adadhat: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhā (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (imperfect), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada; with preverb ā- (in sense) implied by context ‘assumed/put on’

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; demonstrative resuming relative yaḥ

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• mama: of me / my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī (gen), Ekavacana

• kena: by what? / with what?
• kena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṁsaka/puṁliṅga, Tṛtīyā (instr), Ekavacana; interrogative

• tuṣyet: would be satisfied
• tuṣyet: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tuṣ (धातु)
• Form: Liṅ-lakāra (optative), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada

Characters & Entities

• Lakshmi
• Brahma
• Shiva
• Lokapalas
• Krishna

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the dust of Krishna’s lotus feet?

This verse says that even Lakṣmī, Brahmā, Śiva, and the lokapālas honor the dust of Krishna’s lotus feet on their heads, showing His supreme position and the sanctity of devotion to His feet.

Why does Rukmini speak so humbly to Krishna in Canto 10 Chapter 58?

Rukmiṇī speaks from deep devotion and awe, feeling that her own service is insignificant compared to the reverence shown by the greatest cosmic beings; her humility is itself an ornament of pure bhakti.

How can I apply this teaching of humility in modern life?

Offer your abilities without entitlement, remember the greatness of the Divine, and practice respectful devotion—seeing service as grace rather than personal achievement.