Shloka 23

Bali Mahārāja’s Surrender, Prahlāda’s Praise, and the Lord’s Mercy

Sutala and Future Indrahood

Devanagari script

यत्पादयोरशठधी: सलिलं प्रदाय दूर्वाङ्कुरैरपि विधाय सतीं सपर्याम् । अप्युत्तमां गतिमसौ भजते त्रिलोकीं दाश्वानविक्लवमना: कथमार्तिमृच्छेत् ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

yat-pādayor aśaṭha-dhīḥ salilaṁ pradāya dūrvāṅkurair api vidhāya satīṁ saparyām apy uttamāṁ gatim asau bhajate tri-lokīṁ dāśvān aviklava-manāḥ katham ārtim ṛcchet

Translation

Even one who, with an undeceitful mind, offers at Your lotus feet only water, fresh dūrvā shoots, or flower buds—and worships You in truth—attains the highest destination. Bali Mahārāja, without duplicity, has offered everything in the three worlds; how, then, could he deserve the suffering of arrest?

Synonyms

• यत्-पादयोः: at whose two feet
• यत्-पादयोः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative sense: ‘at whose feet’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; तत्पुरुष (यस्य पादौ तयोः)

• अशठ-धीः: one with sincere intelligence
• अशठ-धीः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशठ + धी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (अशठा धीः)

• सलिलम्: water
• सलिलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सलिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रदाय: having offered
• प्रदाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having offered/given’

• दूर्वा-अङ्कुरैः: with sprouts of dūrvā grass
• दूर्वा-अङ्कुरैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूर्वा + अङ्कुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (दूर्वायाः अङ्कुरैः)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-भाव (also/even)

• विधाय: having performed
• विधाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), ‘having performed/arranged’

• सतीम्: proper, virtuous
• सतीम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of ‘saparyām’)

• सपर्याम्: worship/service
• सपर्याम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; of ‘vidhāya’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सपर्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अपि: indeed
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-भाव (indeed/even)

• उत्तमाम्: supreme
• उत्तमाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of ‘gatim’)

• गतिम्: destination
• गतिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• असौ: that person (he)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• भजते: attains/partakes
• भजते: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• त्रि-लोकीम्: the three worlds
• त्रि-लोकीम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; with ‘bhajate’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + लोकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (त्रयः लोकाः यस्यां सा)

• दाश्वान्: having given (a donor)
• दाश्वान्: Visheshana (विशेषण of ‘asau’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + वस्/वांस् (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (परिपूर्ण-कर्तरि/‘one who has given’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अविक्लव-मनाः: steady-minded
• अविक्लव-मनाः: Visheshana (विशेषण of ‘asau’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविक्लव + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (अविक्लवं मनः यस्य)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• आर्तिम्: distress
• आर्तिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ऋच्छेत्: would attain
• ऋच्छेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ऋ (धातु; ऋच्छति)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Purport

In Bhagavad-gītā (9.26) it is stated:

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Hari (the Lord)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about attaining liberation through simple worship?

This verse teaches that even simple offerings like water and dūrvā grass, when given with a sincere, non-deceitful heart, can grant the highest destination by the Lord’s grace.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī emphasize an “aśaṭha” (non-deceitful) mind in devotion?

Because the spiritual result depends on inner sincerity; straightforward devotion makes even small acts of worship spiritually complete and powerful.

How can I apply this teaching in modern life?

Offer whatever you can—time, prayer, water, a flower—with honesty and steadiness of heart; consistent, sincere devotion reduces anxiety and brings inner refuge.