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Shloka 35

Sudāmā Brāhmaṇa Receives Kṛṣṇa’s Mercy

The Gift of Flat Rice

किञ्चित्करोत्युर्वपि यत् स्वदत्तं सुहृत्कृतं फल्ग्वपि भूरिकारी । मयोपनीतं पृथुकैकमुष्टिं प्रत्यग्रहीत् प्रीतियुतो महात्मा ॥ ३५ ॥

kiñcit karoty urv api yat sva-dattaṁ suhṛt-kṛtaṁ phalgv api bhūri-kārī mayopaṇītaṁ pṛthukaika-muṣṭiṁ pratyagrahīt prīti-yuto mahātmā

Der Herr hält selbst Seine größten Segnungen für gering, doch Er erhebt selbst den kleinsten Dienst, den Ihm Sein wohlwollender Geweihter darbringt, zu etwas Großem. So nahm die Höchste Seele mit Freude eine einzige Handvoll gepressten Reises an, den ich Ihm brachte.

kiñcitsomething (even a little)
kiñcit:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootkiñcit (सर्वनाम/अव्यय)
Formपरिमाणवाचक अव्यय (a little/something)
karotidoes
karoti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√kṛ (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद
urugreatly
uru:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rooturu (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
Formपरिमाणवाचक अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (very/greatly)
apieven
api:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
Formसम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (even/also)
yatwhich/that (thing)
yat:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc sg)
svaone’s own
sva:
Samāsa-pūrvapada (समास-पूर्वपद)
TypeAdjective
Rootsva (प्रातिपदिक)
Formप्रातिपदिक (stem used in compound)
dattamgiven by oneself
dattam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootdatta (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc sg); स्व-दत्तम् = ‘given by oneself’ (tatpuruṣa)
suhṛtby a friend
suhṛt:
Samāsa-pūrvapada (समास-पूर्वपद)
TypeNoun
Rootsuhṛd (प्रातिपदिक)
Formप्रातिपदिक (stem used in compound)
kṛtamdone by a friend
kṛtam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootkṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc sg); सुहृत्-कृतम् = ‘done by a friend’ (tatpuruṣa)
phalgutrifling
phalgu:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootphalgu (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
Formअव्ययवत् प्रयोग (though trifling)
apieven
api:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
Formसम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय
bhūrimuch
bhūri:
Samāsa-pūrvapada (समास-पूर्वपद)
TypeAdjective
Rootbhūri (प्रातिपदिक)
Formप्रातिपदिक (stem used in compound)
kārīhighly rewarding
kārī:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootkārin (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (Nom sg); भूरि-कारी = ‘doing much/very rewarding’ (karmadhāraya)
mayāby me
mayā:
Kartṛkaraṇa (कर्ता-करण/agent-instr)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formतृतीया एकवचन (Instr sg)
upanītambrought/presented
upanītam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootupa√nī (धातु)
Formकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc sg)
pṛthukaflattened rice
pṛthuka:
Samāsa-pūrvapada (समास-पूर्वपद)
TypeNoun
Rootpṛthuka (प्रातिपदिक)
Formप्रातिपदिक (stem used in compound)
ekaone
eka:
Samāsa-madhyapada (समास-मध्यपद)
TypeAdjective
Rooteka (प्रातिपदिक)
Formप्रातिपदिक (stem used in compound)
muṣṭima single handful
muṣṭim:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootmuṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc sg); पृ्थुक-एक-मुष्टिम् = ‘one handful of pṛthuka’ (tatpuruṣa)
pratyagrahītaccepted
pratyagrahīt:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootprati√grah (धातु)
Formलुङ् (Aorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद
prītiaffection
prīti:
Samāsa-pūrvapada (समास-पूर्वपद)
TypeNoun
Rootprīti (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (stem used in compound)
yutaḥwith affection
yutaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (Nom sg); प्रीति-युतः = ‘endowed with affection’ (tatpuruṣa)
mahātmāthe great soul (Kṛṣṇa)
mahātmā:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (Nom sg); महा-आत्मा = ‘great-souled’ (karmadhāraya)
S
Sudāmā
Ś
Śrī Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

This verse teaches that even a tiny, humble gift becomes immensely valuable when offered with sincere affection and devotion, as shown by Kṛṣṇa lovingly accepting Sudāmā’s single handful of flattened rice.

Because it was offered as a heartfelt gesture of friendship and devotion; Kṛṣṇa values bhakti over the material size or cost of the offering.

Offer whatever you can—time, service, prayer, or simple food—with sincerity and gratitude; the inner devotion is what makes the act spiritually powerful.