Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 36

King Vena’s Tyranny, the Sages’ Counsel, and the Birth of Niṣāda

Devanagari script

एकदा मुनयस्ते तु सरस्वत्सलिलाप्लुता: । हुत्वाग्नीन् सत्कथाश्चक्रुरुपविष्टा: सरित्तटे ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

ekadā munayas te tu sarasvat-salilāplutāḥ hutvāgnīn sat-kathāś cakrur upaviṣṭāḥ sarit-taṭe

Translation

Eines Tages badeten jene Munis im Wasser der Sarasvatī, verrichteten dann ihre täglichen Pflichten, indem sie Opfergaben in die Opferfeuer darbrachten. Danach saßen sie am Flussufer und sprachen in heiligen Erzählungen über die Höchste Person und Seine transzendentalen Spiele.

Synonyms

• एकदा: once
• एकदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एकदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• मुनयः: the sages
• मुनयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• ते: those
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• सरस्वत्-सलिल-आप्लुताः: bathed in the waters of the Sarasvatī
• सरस्वत्-सलिल-आप्लुताः: Karta-anvayi (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सरस्वत् (प्रातिपदिक) + सलिल (प्रातिपदिक) + आप्लुत (कृदन्त; √प्लु)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास; 'सरस्वत्याः सलिले आप्लुताः' (bathed in Sarasvatī’s water); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• हुत्वा: having offered (oblations)
• हुत्वा: Purva-kala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (gerund/absolutive), 'having offered'

• अग्नीन्: the sacred fires
• अग्नीन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• सत्-कथाः: holy talks/discourses
• सत्-कथाः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास ('good/holy stories'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• चक्रुः: they did/made
• चक्रुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• उपविष्टाः: seated
• उपविष्टाः: Karta-anvayi (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपविष्ट (कृदन्त; उप-√विश्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; qualifying मुनयः

• सरित्-तटे: on the riverbank
• सरित्-तटे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित् (प्रातिपदिक) + तट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष 'सरितः तटः'; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

Characters & Entities

• Sarasvatī
• munis (sages)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about sat-kathā (saintly discussion)?

This verse shows sages completing their Vedic duties and then engaging in sat-kathā—spiritually elevating conversations—indicating that hearing and discussing sacred topics is central to saintly life.

Why are the sages described as bathing in the Sarasvatī before speaking?

Bathing in a holy river signifies purification and reverence; after cleansing and offering oblations, the sages sit in a sanctified mood fit for discussing dharma and divine topics.

How can sat-kathā be practiced in modern life according to this verse?

Create time for spiritual conversation—study and discuss Bhagavatam with devotees—ideally after personal discipline and a clean, prayerful routine, even if one cannot perform elaborate rituals.