Shloka 40

Pṛthu Mahārāja’s Homecoming, Sacrificial Assembly, and Instruction on Devotional Kingship

Devanagari script

पुमाँल्लभेतानतिवेलमात्मन: प्रसीदतोऽत्यन्तशमं स्वत: स्वयम् । यन्नित्यसम्बन्धनिषेवया तत: परं किमत्रास्ति मुखं हविर्भुजाम् ॥ ४० ॥

Transliteration

pumāḻ labhetānativelam ātmanaḥ prasīdato ’tyanta-śamaṁ svataḥ svayam yan-nitya-sambandha-niṣevayā tataḥ paraṁ kim atrāsti mukhaṁ havir-bhujām

Translation

By steady service to brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas, one cleanses the heart’s impurity and attains supreme peace, detachment, and liberation. In this world no act surpasses service to the brāhmaṇa class, for it even pleases the devas who partake of sacrificial offerings.

Synonyms

• पुमान्: a man
• पुमान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुमांस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (M, Nom, Sg)

• लभेत: may obtain
• लभेत: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd sg)

• अनतिवेलम्: without much delay
• अनतिवेलम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनति-वेल (प्रातिपदिक; अनति + वेल)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative: ‘not too late/without much delay’)

• आत्मनः: of oneself
• आत्मनः: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (M, Gen, Sg)

• प्रसीदतः: of the pleased (self)
• प्रसीदतः: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसीदत् (कृदन्त; प्र√सद्)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (Gen Sg); ‘प्रसीदतः (आत्मनः)’

• अत्यन्तशमम्: complete tranquility
• अत्यन्तशमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अत्यन्त-शम (प्रातिपदिक; अत्यन्त + शम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (M, Acc, Sg); कर्मधारय-समास

• स्वतः: of itself
• स्वतः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेतौ/स्वभावे (ablatival adverb: ‘of itself, naturally’)

• स्वयम्: by oneself
• स्वयम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मन्यर्थे (emphatic)

• यत्: whose
• यत्: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (N, Gen, Sg)

• नित्यसम्बन्धनिषेवया: by constant association and service
• नित्यसम्बन्धनिषेवया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नित्य-सम्बन्ध-निषेवा (प्रातिपदिक; नित्य + सम्बन्ध + निषेवा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (F, Instr, Sg); बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (determinative chain)

• ततः: thereafter/from that
• ततः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्-अर्थे (ablatival adverb: ‘thereafter/from that’)

• परम्: further, more
• परम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन (adverb: ‘further/more’)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (N, Nom/Acc, Sg); प्रश्नार्थक

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• अस्ति: is
• अस्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd sg)

• मुखम्: mouth, means
• मुखम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (N, Nom/Acc, Sg)

• हविर्भुजाम्: of the oblation-eaters (gods)
• हविर्भुजाम्: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हविस्-भुज् (प्रातिपदिक; हविस् + भुज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (M, Gen, Pl); तत्पुरुष-समास (हविः भुङ्क्ते इति)

Purport

In Bhagavad-gītā (2.65) it is said, prasāde sarva-duḥkhānāṁ hānir asyopajāyate. Unless one is self-satisfied, he cannot be free from the miserable conditions of material existence. Therefore it is essential to render service to the brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas to achieve the perfection of self-satisfaction. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura therefore says:

Characters & Entities

• Pṛthu Mahārāja
• devatāḥ (havir-bhujaḥ)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about attaining peace through devotion?

This verse says that when the Lord is pleased, a person quickly attains supreme peace (atyanta-śama) naturally, by constant cultivation of one’s eternal relationship with Him.

Why does King Pṛthu mention offerings to the demigods (havir-bhujaḥ) here?

He contrasts ritual offerings meant for demigods with the higher result of direct devotion to the Lord, implying that bhakti grants the ultimate perfection beyond ritualistic goals.

How can I apply “nitya-sambandha-niṣevā” in modern life?

Live with daily God-centered practice—hearing and chanting His names, serving devotees, and offering your work—so your relationship with the Lord becomes constant rather than occasional.