Shloka 20

Kṛṣṇa Leads Kālayavana to Mucukunda; The Yavana Is Burned; Mucukunda’s Prayers and Boon of Bhakti

Devanagari script

वरं वृणीष्व भद्रं ते ऋते कैवल्यमद्य न: । एक एवेश्वरस्तस्य भगवान् विष्णुरव्यय: ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

varaṁ vṛṇīṣva bhadraṁ te ṛte kaivalyam adya naḥ eka eveśvaras tasya bhagavān viṣṇur avyayaḥ

Translation

Alles Heil dir! Wähle nun von uns eine Gabe—außer Kaivalya (Befreiung), denn nur der unfehlbare, unvergängliche Bhagavān Viṣṇu kann sie gewähren.

Synonyms

• varam: a boon
• varam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• vṛṇīṣva: choose
• vṛṇīṣva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vṛ (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Ātmanepada

• bhadram: good fortune
• bhadram: Karma/Āśīḥ (आशीः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; used as benediction

• te: to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; enclitic

• ṛte: except
• ṛte: Apavāda (अपवाद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ṛte (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable preposition-like particle meaning ‘except/without’ (अपवाद-निपात)

• kaivalyam: liberation (kaivalya)
• kaivalyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaivalya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• adya: today/now
• adya: Kālādhi karaṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (कालवाचक अव्यय)

• naḥ: of us / our
• naḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural; enclitic

• ekaḥ: one
• ekaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण-निपात)

• īśvaraḥ: the Lord
• īśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• tasya: of him/of that
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; apposition to īśvaraḥ

• viṣṇuḥ: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; apposition

• avyayaḥ: imperishable
• avyayaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agrees with viṣṇuḥ/bhagavān

Characters & Entities

• Mucukunda
• Bhagavān Viṣṇu (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about kaivalya (impersonal liberation)?

This verse shows a devotee’s stance: kaivalya is not the desired goal; devotion is centered on the imperishable Supreme Person, Bhagavān Viṣṇu.

Why did Mucukunda say this to Lord Kṛṣṇa?

After realizing the Lord’s supreme identity, Mucukunda expresses pure devotion—seeking blessings while explicitly rejecting impersonal liberation, affirming Viṣṇu as the one true Lord.

Practical application of rejecting kaivalya in modern life?

Prioritize loving service and relationship with God over ego-driven “self-perfection”; cultivate devotion through prayer, remembrance, and selfless duty rather than chasing only personal escape or detachment.