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Shloka 29

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

प्रायो गृहेषु ते चित्तमकामविहितं तथा । नैवातिप्रीयसे विद्वन् धनेषु विदितं हि मे ॥ २९ ॥

prāyo gṛheṣu te cittam akāma-vihitaṁ tathā naivāti-prīyase vidvan dhaneṣu viditaṁ hi me

Though you are mostly engaged in household affairs, your mind is not touched by material desire. Nor, O learned one, do you take much delight in pursuing wealth—this I know well.

प्रायःgenerally/mostly
प्रायः:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootप्रायः (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; प्रायशः/बहुधा-अर्थे (adverb: generally/mostly)
गृहेषुin houses/home affairs
गृहेषु:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootगृह (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन
तेyour
ते:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन
चित्तम्mind
चित्तम्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootचित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
अकामविहितम्set without desire (dispassionate)
अकामविहितम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअकाम + विहित (√धा/√धा? here √धा with vi-; ‘vihita’ from √धा/√धा? standard: √धा with vi- gives विहित ‘arranged/placed’) (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास (अकामेन विहितम्); क्त-प्रत्यय कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (agreeing with चित्तम्)
तथाthus/likewise
तथा:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; ‘so/likewise’
not
:
Sambandha/Particle (अव्यय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-निपात
एवindeed/just
एव:
Sambandha/Particle (अव्यय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)
अतिoverly
अति:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअति (अव्यय)
Formउपसर्ग/अव्यय; here intensifier ‘excessively’
प्रीयसेyou delight (in)
प्रीयसे:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootप्री (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
विद्वन्O learned one
विद्वन्:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootविद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन
धनेषुin wealth
धनेषु:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootधन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन
विदितम्is known
विदितम्:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootविद् (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्यय कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘known’
हिfor/indeed
हि:
Sambandha/Particle (अव्यय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात; हेतौ/निश्चयार्थे (for/indeed)
मेto me/of me
मे:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

Lord Kṛṣṇa here reveals that in fact He was well aware of His friend’s situation. Sudāmā was actually learned and spiritually advanced, and therefore he was not interested in ordinary sense gratification, as is the common man.

Ś
Śrī Kṛṣṇa
S
Sudāmā (brāhmaṇa friend of Kṛṣṇa)

FAQs

In this verse, Kṛṣṇa praises Sudāmā for not being overly delighted by riches, showing that genuine devotion is marked by inner detachment rather than obsession with money.

Kṛṣṇa is honoring Sudāmā’s purity: even as a householder he is not driven by material desire, and Kṛṣṇa openly acknowledges this as a defining quality of His devotee.

Live responsibly but keep the mind free from greed—use wealth as a tool for dharma and devotion, without measuring happiness or identity by possessions.