Shloka 1

Trikūṭa Mountain, Ṛtumat Garden, and the Beginning of Gajendra’s Crisis

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच आसीद् गिरिवरो राजंस्त्रिकूट इति विश्रुत: । क्षीरोदेनावृत: श्रीमान्योजनायुतमुच्छ्रित: ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca āsīd girivaro rājaṁs trikūṭa iti viśrutaḥ kṣīrodenāvṛtaḥ śrīmān yojanāyutam ucchritaḥ

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King, there was a great mountain renowned as Trikūṭa. Encircled by the Ocean of Milk, it shone with beauty and rose ten thousand yojanas high.

Synonyms

• श्री-शुकः: Śrī Śuka
• श्री-शुकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीशुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; संज्ञा-विशेष (proper noun)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• आसीत्: there was
• आसीत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गिरिवरः: the best of mountains
• गिरिवरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरिवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘गिरि’ + ‘वर’ (श्रेष्ठः)

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन-विभक्ति (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• त्रिकूटः: Trikūṭa (three-peaked)
• त्रिकूटः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition to गिरिवरः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिकूट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (त्रि + कूट)

• इति: thus; by the name
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: इति-शब्दः; अव्यय, उद्धरण/नामनिर्देशार्थक (quotative/marker of designation)

• विश्रुतः: well-known
• विश्रुतः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-श्रु (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• क्षीर-उदेन: by the milky ocean
• क्षीर-उदेन: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीरोद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘क्षीर’ + ‘उद’ (जल)

• आवृतः: surrounded
• आवृतः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-√वृ (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (गिरिवरस्य)

• श्रीमान्: splendid; glorious
• श्रीमान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive)

• योजन-अयुतम्: ten thousand yojanas
• योजन-अयुतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; extent/measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योजनायुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक (measure)

• उच्छ्रितः: lofty; raised high
• उच्छ्रितः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्-√श्रि (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• King Parīkṣit
• Trikūṭa (mountain)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Trikūṭa Mountain and the Ocean of Milk?

In this verse, Śukadeva describes Trikūṭa as a celebrated, splendid mountain encircled by the Kṣīroda (Ocean of Milk), establishing the sacred setting for the Gajendra episode.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe Trikūṭa to King Parīkṣit in Canto 8?

He is introducing the location where the forthcoming events of Gajendra’s deliverance unfold, grounding the narrative in the Bhagavatam’s sacred cosmography.

Practical application of this shloka in modern life?

It reminds a seeker that divine narratives are rooted in a sacred vision of the world—cultivating reverence, attentiveness, and faith before hearing the Lord’s saving pastimes.