Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 37

Nābhāga’s Inheritance, Śiva’s Verdict, and the Rise of Ambarīṣa—Prelude to Durvāsā’s Offense

Devanagari script

प्रतिनन्द्य स तां याञ्चां कर्तुमावश्यकं गत: । निममज्ज बृहद् ध्यायन् कालिन्दीसलिले शुभे ॥ ३७ ॥

Transliteration

pratinandya sa tāṁ yācñāṁ kartum āvaśyakaṁ gataḥ nimamajja bṛhad dhyāyan kālindī-salile śubhe

Translation

Durvāsā Muni gladly accepted the request of Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, but to perform the regulative ritualistic ceremonies he went to the river Yamunā. There he dipped into the water of the auspicious Yamunā and meditated upon the impersonal Brahman.

Synonyms

• pratinandya: having assented; having welcomed
• pratinandya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-√nand (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• tām: that
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• yācñām: request
• yācñām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yācñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• kartum: to do
• kartum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्यय (Infinitive)

• āvaśyakam: necessary
• āvaśyakam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āvaśyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); क्रियाविशेषणवत् (used adverbially: 'as necessary')

• gataḥ: having gone
• gataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु) (क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• nimamajja: immersed; bathed
• nimamajja: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√majj (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• bṛhat: greatly; intensely
• bṛhat: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bṛhat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter) (used adverbially), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• dhyāyan: meditating
• dhyāyan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhyai (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• kālindī-salile: in the waters of the Kālindī (Yamunā)
• kālindī-salile: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kālindī (प्रातिपदिक) + salila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (determinative: 'in the water of Kāлиндī'), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• śubhe: auspicious; pure
• śubhe: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter) (agreeing with salile), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

Characters & Entities

• Kālindī (Yamunā)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about bathing in the Yamuna (Kālindī)?

This verse presents immersion in the Kālindī as an auspicious, sacred act performed with deep meditation as part of one’s religious duty.

Why did the king go to the Kālindī waters in Canto 9 Chapter 4?

He went to complete an obligatory religious act connected with his vow/ritual observance, entering the sacred river while meditating deeply.

Practical application of this shloka in modern life?

Do necessary duties with a focused, prayerful mind—turning even routine obligations into devotional practice through remembrance and meditation.