Shloka 42

Kṛṣṇa Enters Mathurā: City Splendor, Devotees’ Reception, and the Washerman’s Fate

Devanagari script

तस्य प्रसन्नो भगवान् प्रादात्सारूप्यमात्मन: । श्रियं च परमां लोके बलैश्वर्यस्मृतीन्द्रियम् ॥ ४२ ॥

Transliteration

tasya prasanno bhagavān prādāt sārūpyam ātmanaḥ śriyaṁ ca paramāṁ loke balaiśvarya-smṛtīndriyam

Translation

ولمّا رضي البهاغافان عن الناسج، منحه أن ينال بعد الموت التحرّر بنيل هيئةٍ مماثلة لهيئة الربّ (ساروپْيَة)، وأن ينعم في هذا العالم بأسمى الثراء والبهاء، وبالقوة والسلطان والتأثير والذاكرة ونشاط الحواس.

Synonyms

• तस्य: to him / of him
• तस्य: Sampradāna/Sambandha (सम्प्रदान/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• प्रसन्नः: pleased, gracious
• प्रसन्नः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त from प्र + √सद्/√सन् (to be clear/pleased); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण of भगवान्

• भगवान्: the Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• प्रादात्: gave
• प्रादात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √दा (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist/लुङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सारूप्यम्: similarity of form (to Himself)
• सारूप्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारूप्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• आत्मनः: of Himself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• श्रियम्: prosperity, fortune
• श्रियम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• परमाम्: supreme
• परमाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of श्रियम्

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• बल-ऐश्वर्य-स्मृति-इन्द्रियम्: strength, lordship, memory, and senses (as endowments)
• बल-ऐश्वर्य-स्मृति-इन्द्रियम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल + ऐश्वर्य + स्मृति + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective) as a neuter compound; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; appositional to ‘श्रियम् परमाम्’ indicating constituents of prosperity

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa (Bhagavān)
• Sudāmā (the florist/mālā-kāra)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about how Kṛṣṇa rewards devotional service?

This verse shows that when Kṛṣṇa is pleased by sincere bhakti, He can grant extraordinary benedictions—material excellence (strength, prosperity, sharp senses) and even a spiritual gift like sārūpya, a form resembling His own.

Why did Kṛṣṇa give boons to Sudāmā the florist in Canto 10 Chapter 41?

In the narrative, Sudāmā offered fragrant garlands and wholehearted service to Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma; pleased by that loving devotion, Kṛṣṇa reciprocated by granting him elevated prosperity and a divine, Lord-like form.

How can this teaching be applied in modern life?

Offer your skills and resources in a spirit of devotion—without bargaining—and trust that sincere service brings inner strength, clarity of mind, and lasting upliftment by divine grace.