Shloka 3

ज्ञाने प्रयासमुदपास्य नमन्त एव जीवन्ति सन्मुखरितां भवदीयवार्ताम् । स्थाने स्थिता: श्रुतिगतां तनुवाङ्‌मनोभि- र्ये प्रायशोऽजित जितोऽप्यसि तैस्त्रिलोक्याम् ॥ ३ ॥

jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir ye prāyaśo ’jita jito ’py asi tais tri-lokyām

Wer die mühsame Spekulation des Wissens beiseitelässt und, in seiner jeweiligen Lebensstellung verbleibend, mit Körper, Wort und Geist ehrfürchtig den Schilderungen Deiner Person und Deiner Lilas lauscht—die von Dir selbst und von Deinen reinen Geweihten verkündet werden—und sein Leben diesen Erzählungen weiht, der bezwingt Dich gewiss, o Ajita, obwohl Du in den drei Welten sonst unbezwingbar bist.

ज्ञानेin knowledge (path)
ज्ञाने:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (Loc. sg.); ‘in (the path of) knowledge’
प्रयासम्effort
प्रयासम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रयास (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc. sg.)
उदपास्यhaving abandoned
उदपास्य:
Kriyā (पूर्वक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootउद्-अप-आस् (धातु; ‘to abandon’)
Formक्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having given up’
नमन्तःbowing
नमन्तः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootनम् (धातु) → नमन्त् (शतृ-कृदन्त)
Formशतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (Nom. pl.); ‘bowing’
एवindeed
एव:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (restrictive): ‘only/indeed’
जीवन्तिthey live
जीवन्ति:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootजीव् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), परस्मैपदी, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; ‘they live’
सन्मुखरिताम्spoken by the saintly
सन्मुखरिताम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसत् (प्रा.) + मुखरित (√मुखर्/मुखरय् क्त)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc. sg.)—भवदीयवार्ताम् इति विशेषण; ‘uttered by the good (saints)’
भवदीयवार्ताम्your discourse
भवदीयवार्ताम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootभवदीय (प्रा.) + वार्ता (प्रा.)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘your narration/message’
स्थानेin their place
स्थाने:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootस्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (Loc. sg.); ‘in (their) position’
स्थिताःremaining
स्थिताः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootस्था (धातु) → स्थित (क्त)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; ‘remaining/being situated’
श्रुतिगताम्received through hearing
श्रुतिगताम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootश्रुति (प्रा.) + गत (√गम् क्त)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन—वार्ताम् इति विशेषण; ‘entered through hearing/received by hearing’
तनुwith (their)
तनु:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeAdjective
Rootतनु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययवत्-पूर्वपद (indeclinable-like adjective) ‘with their’—समासपूर्वपद
वाक्speech
वाक्:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootवाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन (Instr. sg.)
मनोभिःminds
मनोभिः:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootमनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचन (Instr. pl.)
येwho
ये:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (Nom. pl.)
प्रायशःgenerally
प्रायशः:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootप्रायशः (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (adverb): ‘mostly, generally’
अजितO Unconquered one
अजित:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootअजित (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचन (Voc. sg.)
जितःconquered
जितः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootजि (धातु) → जित (क्त)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘conquered’
अपिeven though
अपि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (concessive): ‘even though’
असिyou are
असि:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), परस्मैपदी, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘you are’
तैःby them
तैः:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचन (Instr. pl.); ‘by them’
त्रिलोक्याम्in the three worlds
त्रिलोक्याम्:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootत्रि (संख्या) + लोक (प्रा.)
Formद्विगु-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (Loc. sg.); ‘in the three worlds’

Here the word udapāsya clearly indicates that one should not even slightly endeavor to understand the Absolute Truth by the process of mental speculation, for it invariably carries one to an imperfect, impersonal understanding of God. The word jīvanti indicates that a devotee who always hears about Lord Kṛṣṇa will go back home, back to Godhead, even if he can do nothing except maintain his existence and hear topics concerning the Lord.

B
Brahmā
K
Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

It says one should give up the exhausting pursuit of dry speculation and instead humbly hear Krishna’s glories from saintly devotees; such devotional hearing can win the Lord’s mercy.

After witnessing Krishna’s supreme power in Vraja, Brahmā admits that Krishna is not approached by prideful intellect, but He becomes ‘conquered’ by humble devotion—especially by hearing and surrender.

Keep your responsibilities intact, but regularly hear and speak Krishna-kathā with sincerity, and align your actions, words, and thoughts with devotion rather than ego-driven achievement.