Shloka 4

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

Devanagari script

शिरस्तु तस्योभयलिङ्गमान- मेत्तदेव यत् पश्यति तद्धि चक्षु: । अङ्गानि विष्णोरथ तज्जनानां पादोदकं यानि भजन्ति नित्यम् ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

śiras tu tasyobhaya-liṅgam ānamet tad eva yat paśyati tad dhi cakṣuḥ aṅgāni viṣṇor atha taj-janānāṁ pādodakaṁ yāni bhajanti nityam

Translation

A true head is one that bows to the Lord as He appears in both moving and unmoving beings; true eyes are those that see only the Lord; and true limbs are those that daily honor the water that has washed Viṣṇu’s feet, or the feet of His devotees.

Synonyms

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तु: but; indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Contrast (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात (particle)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• उभय-लिङ्गम्: both signs (male and female marks)
• उभय-लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उभय (प्रातिपदिक) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भावः—‘उभयं लिङ्गं’ (two marks: male/female)

• आनमेत्: should bow
• आनमेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√नम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• एव: indeed; only
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म) (पश्यति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक सर्वनाम

• पश्यति: sees
• पश्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता) (चक्षुः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Nipāta (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक निपात (particle)

• चक्षुः: eye
• चक्षुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्षुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अङ्गानि: limbs
• अङ्गानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• अथ: and then; also
• अथ: Samuccaya/Sequence (समुच्चय/अनुक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तर/समुच्चयार्थक निपात (particle)

• तत्-जनानाम्: of His people (devotees)
• तत्-जनानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘तस्य जनाः’ (His people/devotees)

• पाद-उदकम्: water from the feet (foot-wash)
• पाद-उदकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘पादस्य उदकम्’

• यानि: which
• यानि: Karta (कर्ता) (भजन्ति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक सर्वनाम (अङ्गानि इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• भजन्ति: serve; partake; worship
• भजन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (adverbial accusative)

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about serving devotees (Vaiṣṇava-sevā)?

This verse teaches that genuine spiritual identity is shown by honoring both the Lord and His devotees—especially by bowing to them and reverently serving what is connected to them, such as the water from their feet.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe the ‘real’ head, eyes, and limbs in this way?

He is defining true human success in devotional terms: the body becomes meaningful when used for bhakti—bowing in humility, seeing the Lord, and serving the Lord and His devotees.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Cultivate humility and devotion: regularly take darśana of the Lord (in temple or through sincere remembrance), offer respects to devoted practitioners, and keep daily habits centered on service rather than ego.