Shloka 4

Nanda’s Captivity by Varuṇa and the Revelation of the Spiritual World

Brahma-hrada

Devanagari script

प्राप्तं वीक्ष्य हृषीकेशं लोकपाल: सपर्यया । महत्या पूजयित्वाह तद्दर्शनमहोत्सव: ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

prāptaṁ vīkṣya hṛṣīkeśaṁ loka-pālaḥ saparyayā mahatyā pūjayitvāha tad-darśana-mahotsavaḥ

Translation

Seeing that the Lord Hṛṣīkeśa had arrived, the world-regent Varuṇa worshiped Him with grand offerings. Overjoyed by the Lord’s darśana, he spoke as follows.

Synonyms

• प्राप्तम्: having arrived / arrived (one)
• प्राप्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राप्त (√प्राप् धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन (contextually कर्मपद as object)

• वीक्ष्य: having seen
• वीक्ष्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √वीक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: अव्यय (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय, gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• हृषीकेशम्: Hrishikesha (Krishna)
• हृषीकेशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृषीकेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• लोकपालः: the guardian of the world (Varuṇa)
• लोकपालः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकपाल (प्रातिपदिक: लोक + पाल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लोकस्य पालः)

• सपर्यया: with worship/service
• सपर्यया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सपर्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महत्या: great
• महत्या: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of सपर्यया

• पूजयित्वा: having honored/worshiped
• पूजयित्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √पूज् (धातु)
• Form: अव्यय (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय, gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• आह: said
• आह: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अह्/√ब्रू (धातु; said)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्-दर्शन-महोत्सवः: (he) whose great festival was seeing Him / rejoicing at His sight
• तत्-दर्शन-महोत्सवः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानााधिकरण/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक) + महोत्सव (प्रातिपदिक: महा+उत्सव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः (तस्य दर्शनस्य महोत्सवः)

Characters & Entities

• Hṛṣīkeśa (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
• Varuṇa (Lokapāla)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about darśana (seeing the Lord) being a great festival?

This verse calls the very sight of Hṛṣīkeśa a “mahotsava,” teaching that encountering the Lord is itself the highest celebration for devotees and even for cosmic rulers like Varuṇa.

Why did Varuṇa worship Kṛṣṇa when He arrived?

Varuṇa recognizes Kṛṣṇa as Hṛṣīkeśa, the Supreme Lord, so he receives Him with saparyā—formal, reverent worship—before speaking, showing divine etiquette and acknowledgment of Kṛṣṇa’s supremacy.

Practical application: how can a devotee treat darśana in modern life?

Approach temple darśana, deity worship, and remembrance of Kṛṣṇa as a sacred “festival” by preparing the mind with respect, gratitude, and attentive service rather than treating it as routine.