Shloka 37

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

Devanagari script

सूर्यश्चास्तं गतस्तावत् तमसा चावृता दिश: । निम्नं कूलं जलमयं न प्राज्ञायत किञ्चन ॥ ३७ ॥

Transliteration

sūryaś cāstaṁ gatas tāvat tamasā cāvṛtā diśaḥ nimnaṁ kūlaṁ jala-mayaṁ na prājñāyata kiñcana

Translation

Then the sun set and darkness covered every direction. With the flooding waters, we could not distinguish anything—high ground from low, bank from hollow.

Synonyms

• सूर्यः: the sun
• सूर्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (nominative) एकवचन — subject

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अस्तम्: to setting; to the west
• अस्तम्: Karma (कर्म/Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative) एकवचन — ‘to setting (place/state)’

• गतः: had gone
• गतः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन — predicative with सूर्यः (‘having gone’)

• तावत्: by then; meanwhile
• तावत्: Desha-Kala (देश-काल/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/कालवाचक (adverb) — ‘then/so long/meanwhile’

• तमसा: by darkness
• तमसा: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (instrumental) एकवचन — ‘by darkness’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• आवृताः: covered; enveloped
• आवृताः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-√वृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन — agreeing with दिशः (‘covered’)

• दिशः: the directions; quarters
• दिशः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (nominative) बहुवचन — subject (‘directions’)

• निम्नम्: low ground; depression
• निम्नम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निम्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन — one of the items not discerned

• कूलम्: bank; shore
• कूलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन — ‘bank/shore’

• जल-मयम्: watery; made of water
• जल-मयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (material/‘made of’): ‘made of water’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन — qualifying (scene/ground)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• प्राज्ञायत: was discerned; was recognized
• प्राज्ञायत: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद — ‘was known/was discerned’

• किञ्चन: anything at all
• किञ्चन: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किञ्चन (सर्वनाम/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन — ‘anything at all’

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam describe about Sudama’s journey to meet Krishna?

This verse portrays the journey’s difficulty—after sunset the directions were swallowed by darkness, and Sudāmā could not distinguish land from water, highlighting the austerity endured on the way to Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Why did Shukadeva Gosvami describe the darkness and inability to see clearly?

Śukadeva narrates the scene to show the severe conditions and uncertainty faced during travel, emphasizing Sudāmā’s determination and faith as he proceeds toward Kṛṣṇa despite obstacles.

Practical application of this verse in modern life?

When life feels unclear—like not knowing “bank or water”—continue steady devotional effort and right action; perseverance through uncertainty is part of sincere spiritual progress.