Shloka 26

Sudāmā Brāhmaṇa: Divine Friendship, Guru-bhakti, and the Lord’s Grace

Devanagari script

किमनेन कृतं पुण्यमवधूतेन भिक्षुणा । श्रिया हीनेन लोकेऽस्मिन् गर्हितेनाधमेन च ॥ २५ ॥ योऽसौ त्रिलोकगुरुणा श्रीनिवासेन सम्भृत: । पर्यङ्कस्थां श्रियं हित्वा परिष्वक्तोऽग्रजो यथा ॥ २६ ॥

Transliteration

kim anena kṛtaṁ puṇyam avadhūtena bhikṣuṇā śriyā hīnena loke ’smin garhitenādhamena ca

Translation

[The palace residents said:] What piety has this unkempt, begging brāhmaṇa performed? Though the world deems him fortune-less, despised, and low, the guru of the three worlds—Śrīnivāsa, abode of Goddess Śrī—serves him with reverence; leaving Lakṣmī seated upon the bed, the Lord embraced him as if an elder brother.

Synonyms

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• asau: that (person)
• asau: Karta (कर्ता/subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Demonstrative pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tri-loka-guruṇā: by the guru of the three worlds
• tri-loka-guruṇā: Kartr-karana (कर्ता-करण/agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक) + guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: 'teacher of the three worlds'; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• śrī-nivāsena: by Śrīnivāsa (abode of Lakṣmī)
• śrī-nivāsena: Kartr-karana (कर्ता-करण/agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + nivāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: 'abode of Śrī'; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• sambhṛtaḥ: honored/received
• sambhṛtaḥ: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate in passive sense)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-bhṛ (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Past passive participle (क्त), from सम्-√भृ; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• paryaṅka-sthām: seated on the couch
• paryaṅka-sthām: Karma (कर्म/object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paryaṅka (प्रातिपदिक) + sthā (धातु)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: 'situated on the couch'; Kṛdanta (क्त/स्थ suffix as adjectival): Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन) (qualifying śriyam)

• śriyam: Lakṣmī/fortune
• śriyam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• hitvā: having left
• hitvā: Kriya (क्रिया/preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hā (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), from √हा; 'having left/abandoned'

• pariṣvaktaḥ: embraced
• pariṣvaktaḥ: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-ṣvaj (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Past passive participle (क्त), from परि-√ष्वज्; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• agrajaḥ: an elder brother
• agrajaḥ: Upamana (उपमान/standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agraja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• yathā: as, like
• yathā: Upamana-dyotaka (उपमान-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), comparative particle (उपमानवाचक)

Characters & Entities

• Sudāmā

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about poverty and devotion in Sudama’s story?

This verse highlights that external poverty or social neglect does not define spiritual worth; the Lord values devotion and purity, not material status.

Why does Sudama think of himself as lowly in this chapter?

Out of deep humility, Sudāmā views himself as unqualified—poor and disregarded—contrasting his condition with the Lord’s greatness.

How can Sudama’s humility be practiced in modern life?

Serve and pray without entitlement—measure success by sincerity and character rather than recognition, wealth, or social approval.