Shloka 1

The Deliverance of King Nṛga and the Warning Against Taking Brāhmaṇa Property

Devanagari script

श्रीबादरायणिरुवाच एकदोपवनं राजन् जग्मुर्यदुकुमारका: । विहर्तुं साम्बप्रद्युम्नचारुभानुगदादय: ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-bādarāyaṇir uvāca ekadopavanaṁ rājan jagmur yadu-kumārakāḥ vihartuṁ sāmba-pradyumna cāru-bhānu-gadādayaḥ

Translation

Śrī Bādarāyaṇi said: O King, one day the young princes of the Yadu dynasty—Sāmba, Pradyumna, Cāru, Bhānu, Gada and others—went to a small forest grove to sport and play.

Synonyms

• श्रीबादरायणिः: Śrī Bādarāyaṇi (Śuka)
• श्रीबादरायणिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + बादरायणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: श्री- (उपपद/आदर) + बादरायणिः (कर्मधारय-प्रायः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपदी; प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन (3rd sg)

• एकदा: once
• एकदा: Kāla-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एकदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (time-adverb)

• उपवनम्: to the grove/park
• उपवनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative Singular)

• राजन्: O King
• राजन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Vocative Singular)

• जग्मुः: went
• जग्मुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपदी; प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन (3rd pl)

• यदुकुमारकाः: the young Yadus (princes)
• यदुकुमारकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यदु + कुमारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: यदूनां कुमारकाः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Nominative Plural)

• विहर्तुम्: to play, to sport
• विहर्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-हृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive); ‘to sport/play’

• साम्बप्रद्युम्नचारुभानुगदादयः: Sāmba, Pradyumna, Cārubhānu, Gada, and others
• साम्बप्रद्युम्नचारुभानुगदादयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साम्ब + प्रद्युम्न + चारु-भानु + गद + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: साम्ब-प्रद्युम्न-चारुभानु-गद (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व) + आदयः (समाहार/गणवाचक); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Nominative Plural)

Purport

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī states that the story of King Nṛga, narrated in this chapter, is meant to give sober instructions to all proud kings. Through this incident Lord Kṛṣṇa also gave serious lessons to the members of His own family who had become proud of their opulences.

Characters & Entities

• Parīkṣit Mahārāja
• Sāmba
• Pradyumna
• Cārubhānu
• Gada
• Yadu-kumāras (Yadu princes)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Yadu princes going to a grove (upavana)?

This verse states that the young Yadu princes such as Sāmba, Pradyumna, Cārubhānu and Gada once went to a garden grove for recreation, as narrated by Śukadeva to King Parīkṣit.

Why is Śukadeva Gosvāmī addressing Parīkṣit Mahārāja as ‘Rājan’ here?

Śukadeva is narrating the unfolding events of Canto 10 to Parīkṣit in a respectful, direct address—“O King”—keeping the listener anchored in the dialogue framework of the Bhāgavatam.

What is a practical takeaway from this verse for modern life?

Even in accounts of royal enjoyment, the Bhāgavatam frames events within divine history—encouraging readers to see daily activities through the lens of dharma, responsibility, and remembrance of the Lord’s narrative.