Shloka 4

Devanagari script

यथाद‍ृढै: कर्ममयै: क्रतुभिर्नामनौनिभै: । विद्यामान्वीक्षिकीं हित्वा तितीर्षन्ति भवार्णवम् ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

yathādṛḍhaiḥ karma-mayaiḥ kratubhir nāma-nau-nibhaiḥ vidyām ānvīkṣikīṁ hitvā titīrṣanti bhavārṇavam

Translation

Their taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa is like the foolish attempt of those who abandon transcendental knowledge of the self and try to cross the ocean of saṁsāra in the false boats of fruit-seeking ritual sacrifices.

Synonyms

yathājust as

adṛḍhaiḥwith unsteady (means)

karma-mayaiḥconsisting of ritual acts

kratubhiḥby sacrifices

nāma-nau-nibhaiḥlike a boat only in name

vidyāmknowledge

ānvīkṣikīmphilosophical/investigative (logic-based)

hitvāhaving given up

titīrṣantiwish to cross

bhava-arṇavamthe ocean of material existence

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about karma-kanda rituals and liberation?

This verse critiques rigid, fruitive sacrifices as insufficient for crossing saṁsāra, comparing them to “name-only boats,” and points toward genuine wisdom (and, in the Bhagavatam’s larger thrust, devotion) as the real means.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī speak about ritualistic sacrifices in the Govardhana context?

In the Govardhana narrative, the Bhagavatam contrasts dependence on ritualistic karma with taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa; the verse highlights that mere formal rites cannot grant true deliverance without deeper spiritual understanding.

Practical application of this shloka in modern life?

Don’t rely only on external religiosity or labels; cultivate real understanding through study, reflection, and sincere devotion, aiming for inner transformation rather than ritual as an end in itself.