Shloka 3

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

Devanagari script

कृकलासं गिरिनिभं वीक्ष्य विस्मितमानसा: । तस्य चोद्धरणे यत्नं चक्रुस्ते कृपयान्विता: ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

kṛkalāsaṁ giri-nibhaṁ vīkṣya vismita-mānasāḥ tasya coddharaṇe yatnaṁ cakrus te kṛpayānvitāḥ

Translation

Seeing a lizard as huge as a hill, the boys were astonished. Moved by compassion, they tried to lift it out of the well.

Synonyms

• kṛkalāsam: a lizard
• kṛkalāsam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛkalāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine accusative singular (पुंलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचन)

• giri-nibham: mountain-like (huge)
• giri-nibham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: giri (प्रातिपदिक) + nibha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa ‘mountain-like’; masculine accusative singular (पुंलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचन) qualifying kṛkalāsam

• vīkṣya: having seen
• vīkṣya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्) from √īkṣ with vi-; indeclinable

• vismita-mānasāḥ: with astonished minds
• vismita-mānasāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vismita (प्रातिपदिक) + mānasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya ‘astonished-minded’; masculine nominative plural (पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचन) qualifying implied subject (te)

• tasya: of it/of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive singular (षष्ठी एकवचन) of pronoun; ‘of it/him’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• uddharaṇe: in (the act of) rescuing/lifting out
• uddharaṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ud + dharaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter locative singular (नपुंसकलिङ्ग सप्तमी एकवचन); action-noun ‘in/for the lifting out’

• yatnam: effort
• yatnam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yatna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine accusative singular (पुंलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचन)

• cakruḥ: they made/did
• cakruḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada; 3rd person plural (प्रथमपुरुष बहुवचन) from √kṛ

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine nominative plural (पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचन) pronoun

• kṛpayā-anvitāḥ: endowed with compassion
• kṛpayā-anvitāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛpā (प्रातिपदिक) + anvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa/instrumental relation ‘endowed with compassion’; masculine nominative plural (पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा बहुवचन) qualifying te

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about compassion (dayā) toward suffering beings?

This verse highlights that the devotees, upon seeing a being in distress, become compassionate and actively try to rescue and uplift him—showing dayā as a natural expression of bhakti.

Who is speaking Bhagavatam 10.64.3 and in what context is this verse spoken?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī narrates this verse to King Parīkṣit while describing the events in Canto 10, Chapter 64, where a mountain-sized lizard is seen and the onlookers attempt to free him out of mercy.

How can I apply the teaching of Bhagavatam 10.64.3 in modern life?

Cultivate compassionate action: when you encounter someone trapped in difficulty—material, emotional, or spiritual—respond with empathy and practical help, guided by dharma and devotion.