Shloka 41

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

Devanagari script

एतदेव हि सच्छिष्यै: कर्तव्यं गुरुनिष्कृतम् । यद् वै विशुद्धभावेन सर्वार्थात्मार्पणं गुरौ ॥ ४१ ॥

Transliteration

etad eva hi sac-chiṣyaiḥ kartavyaṁ guru-niṣkṛtam yad vai viśuddha-bhāvena sarvārthātmārpaṇaṁ gurau

Translation

This is indeed the duty of true disciples: to repay their debt to the spiritual master by offering him, with a pure heart, their wealth—and even their very lives.

Synonyms

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एव: only; indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (restrictive/emphatic particle)

• हि: for; indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक-निपात (particle: for/indeed)

• सत्-शिष्यैः: by good disciples
• सत्-शिष्यैः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (सत् शिष्याः = good disciples); पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• कर्तव्यम्: to be done; obligatory
• कर्तव्यम्: Karya (कार्य/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate: ‘to be done’)

• गुरु-निष्कृतम्: service/expiation owed to the guru
• गुरु-निष्कृतम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + निष्कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; निष्+कृ + क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: गुरोः निष्कृतम् = expiation/service for the guru); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘कर्तव्यम्/एतत्’)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun introducing explanation)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक-निपात

• विशुद्ध-भावेन: with pure intention
• विशुद्ध-भावेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (विशुद्धः भावः); पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; करण (instrumental of manner)

• सर्व-अर्थ-आत्म-अर्पणम्: complete self-surrender/total offering of oneself
• सर्व-अर्थ-आत्म-अर्पणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्पण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (सर्वार्थस्य आत्मा/स्वरूपं यत् अर्पणम्; or ‘offering of oneself for all purposes’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गुरौ: to/unto the guru
• गुरौ: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

Purport

One engages one’s body to realize one’s purposes. The body is also the basis of the material conception of “I,” while one’s fortune is the basis of the conception of “mine.” Thus by offering everything to the spiritual master, one realizes one’s self to be an eternal servant of the Lord. The spiritual master does not exploit the disciple but rather engages him fully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness for the disciple’s eternal benefit.

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Sudāmā
• Guru (spiritual master)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about atonement (prāyaścitta) toward the guru?

This verse states that the true atonement for a sincere disciple is purified-hearted surrender—offering one’s self and all one has to the spiritual master.

Why did Krishna speak about surrendering everything to the guru in the Sudama story?

In the context of Sudāmā meeting Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa highlights the supreme value of guru-bhakti: a disciple’s real repayment and purification is wholehearted dedication and service to the guru.

How can a modern devotee practice ‘sarvārthātmārpaṇam’ (offering everything) to the guru?

By aligning one’s life, time, abilities, and resources with the guru’s spiritual instructions—serving sincerely, living with integrity, and dedicating one’s actions to the path of bhakti.