Shloka 48

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

Devanagari script

वीरवर्य पित: पृथ्व्या: समा: सञ्जीव शाश्वती: । यस्येद‍ृश्यच्युते भक्ति: सर्वलोकैकभर्तरि ॥ ४८ ॥

Transliteration

vīra-varya pitaḥ pṛthvyāḥ samāḥ sañjīva śāśvatīḥ yasyedṛśy acyute bhaktiḥ sarva-lokaika-bhartari

Translation

O best of warriors, O father of the earth, may you be blessed with long life, for your steadfast bhakti is fixed upon Acyuta, the one Lord and maintainer of all worlds.

Synonyms

• वीर-वर्य: O best of heroes
• वीर-वर्य: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana/Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (descriptive): वीरः वर्यः; पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• पितः: O father
• पितः: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• पृथ्व्याः: of the earth
• पृथ्व्याः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथ्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• समाः: years
• समाः: कर्म (Karma/Object; as measure of time lived)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सञ्जीव: live (on), be alive
• सञ्जीव: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जीव् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular); उपसर्ग: सम्-

• शाश्वतीः: eternal, everlasting
• शाश्वतीः: कर्म (Karma/Object complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (adjective) समाः इति विशेष्यस्य

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masc/Neut), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• ईदृशी: such (of this kind)
• ईदृशी: कर्ता (Karta; as qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective) भक्ति: इति विशेष्यस्य

• अच्युते: in/unto Acyuta (the infallible Lord)
• अच्युते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative; object of devotion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• भक्तिः: devotion
• भक्तिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्व-लोक-एक-भर्तरि: in the sole sustainer of all worlds
• सर्व-लोक-एक-भर्तरि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative; same referent as अच्युते)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक) + भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास (determinative; internal structure: सर्वलोकानाम् एकः भर्ता); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

Purport

Pṛthu Mahārāja was blessed by the saintly persons present at the meeting to have a long life because of his unflinching faith and his devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although one’s duration of life is limited in years, if by chance one becomes a devotee, he surpasses the duration prescribed for his life; indeed, sometimes yogīs die according to their wish, not according to the laws of material nature. Another feature of a devotee is that he lives forever because of his infallible devotion to the Lord. It is said, kīrtir yasya sa jīvati: “One who leaves a good reputation behind him lives forever.” Specifically, one who is reputed as a devotee of the Lord undoubtedly lives forever. When Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu was talking with Rāmānanda Rāya, Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired, “What is the greatest reputation?” Rāmānanda Rāya replied that a person who is reputed as a great devotee has the greatest reputation, for a devotee not only lives forever in the Vaikuṇṭha planets, but by his reputation he also lives forever within this material world.

Characters & Entities

• Pṛthu Mahārāja
• Acyuta (Śrī Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about devotion (bhakti) to Acyuta?

This verse praises steadfast bhakti to Acyuta (the infallible Lord) as a visible, exalted quality, worthy of blessings and honor, because He is the sole maintainer of all worlds.

Why did the citizens bless King Pṛthu to live for everlasting years?

They saw in Pṛthu the rare quality of deep devotion to Lord Acyuta and therefore prayed that such a God-centered protector of the earth should live long for the welfare of all.

How can this teaching be applied in modern life?

Lead and serve with devotion to God at the center—when one’s purpose is aligned with the Supreme sustainer, one naturally becomes a source of protection, stability, and goodwill for others.