Shloka 20

Supremacy of Hari-Bhakti in Kali-yuga; Warnings on Sensual Attachment; Praise of Brāhmaṇas, Purāṇa-Listening, and Gaṅgā

Devanagari script

जन्मजन्म हृषीकेश सेवनं यैः कृतं द्विजाः । द्विजे दत्तं हुतं वह्नौ विरतिस्तत्र तत्र हि

Transliteration

janmajanma hṛṣīkeśa sevanaṃ yaiḥ kṛtaṃ dvijāḥ | dvije dattaṃ hutaṃ vahnau viratistatra tatra hi

Translation

يا براهمة، الذين خدموا هريشيكيشا (Hṛṣīkeśa) ولادةً بعد ولادة—تُرى فيهم مرارًا عطايا تُمنح للدفِجَة (dvija)، وقرابين تُسكب في النار، وروحُ الزهد وضبط النفس حقًّا.

Word by Word

• जन्म-जन्म: birth after birth
• जन्म-जन्म: Adhikarana (अधिकरण) / Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva (अव्ययीभाव) used adverbially; sense: repetition 'birth after birth' (पुनरुक्ति-अर्थे अव्ययवत्)

• हृषीकेश-सेवनम्: service/worship of Hṛṣīkeśa (Viṣṇu)
• हृषीकेश-सेवनम्: Karma (कर्म) of 'कृतम्'
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृषीकेश (प्रातिपदिक) + सेवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'हृषीकेशस्य सेवनम्'

• यैः: by whom / by those who
• यैः: Karana (करण) / Agent-instrument (तृतीया-कर्तृसाधनभाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); relative pronoun

• कृतम्: done, performed
• कृतम्: Kriya (क्रिया) / Predicative participle (भावे/कर्मणि प्रयोग)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त); Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with 'सेवनम्'

• द्विजाः: O twice-born (brāhmaṇas)
• द्विजाः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Plural (बहुवचन)

• द्विजे: in/for a brāhmaṇa
• द्विजे: Sampradana/Adhikarana (सम्प्रदान/अधिकरण) (recipient-location sense: 'in/for a brāhmaṇa')
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• दत्तम्: given (as charity)
• दत्तम्: Kriya (क्रिया) (predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त); Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative, Singular; ellipsis of object like 'दानम्/द्रव्यम्'

• हुतम्: offered (into fire)
• हुतम्: Kriya (क्रिया) (predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त); Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; ellipsis of 'हविः/आहुतिः'

• वह्नौ: in the fire
• वह्नौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण) (locus of offering)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• विरतिः: cessation, abstention, detachment
• विरतिः: Karta (कर्ता) / Subject (of implied 'अस्ति/भवति')
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण) (adverbial location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण); deictic locative

• तत्र: there (in that very matter)
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण); repetition for emphasis

• हि: indeed, surely
• हि: None (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle (निपात); emphasis/indeed

Speaker

Unspecified (context-dependent within Svargakhaṇḍa 61)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: हृषीकेश सेवनम् → हृषीकेश-सेवनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष).

Characters & Entities

• Hṛṣīkeśa (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What spiritual pattern does this verse describe across births?

It states that repeated service to Hṛṣīkeśa (Viṣṇu) manifests repeatedly as virtuous conduct—charity to the twice-born, sacrificial offerings, and self-restraint—across many lifetimes.

How does this verse connect Bhakti with Vedic duties like dāna and yajña?

It presents devotion (sevana) as the inner cause that naturally expresses itself outwardly through dāna (giving) and yajña (offerings into fire), along with ethical restraint.

What ethical lesson is emphasized by “virati” here?

“Virati” highlights disciplined withdrawal from harmful or selfish actions; the verse frames such restraint as a recurring fruit of sustained devotion to Viṣṇu.