Shloka 17

Sudāmā Brāhmaṇa Receives Kṛṣṇa’s Mercy

The Gift of Flat Rice

Devanagari script

निवासित: प्रियाजुष्टे पर्यङ्के भ्रातरो यथा । महिष्या वीजित: श्रान्तो बालव्यजनहस्तया ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

nivāsitaḥ priyā-juṣṭe paryaṅke bhrātaro yathā mahiṣyā vījitaḥ śrānto bāla-vyajana-hastayā

Translation

He treated me like a brother, seating me upon the bed of His beloved consort. And because I was weary, His queen herself took a yak-tail cāmara in hand and gently fanned me.

Synonyms

• निवासितः: (was) accommodated/lodged
• निवासितः: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि√वस् (धातु) + निवासित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त (past passive participle/PPP), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘one who was lodged/made to dwell’

• प्रियाजुष्टे: in the bed favored/used by the beloved
• प्रियाजुष्टे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक) + जुष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (instrumental/agentive sense: ‘by the beloved’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (paryaṅke)

• पर्यङ्के: on/in the couch/bed
• पर्यङ्के: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्यङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन

• भ्रातरः: brothers
• भ्रातरः: उपमान (Upamāna/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• यथा: as/like
• यथा: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—उपमा/तुलना-वाचक (comparative particle)

• महिष्या: by the queen
• महिष्या: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिषी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; करण-भावे (instrumental)

• वीजितः: fanned
• वीजितः: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वीज् (धातु) + वीजित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त (PPP), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; कर्मणि—‘having been fanned’

• श्रान्तः: tired
• श्रान्तः: कर्तृ (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रान्त (प्रातिपदिक; √श्रम्)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (implicit subject)

• बालव्यजनहस्तया: by (her) hand holding a fan
• बालव्यजनहस्तया: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक) + व्यजन (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः: ‘hand holding a fan’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; करणम् (instrument)

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Sudāmā (the brāhmaṇa friend)
• Rukmiṇī (the queen)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about how Krishna treats His devotees like Sudama?

This verse shows that Kṛṣṇa honors His devotee as an intimate equal—like a brother—giving him comfort and affectionate care, demonstrating that bhakti, not social status, attracts the Lord’s personal attention.

Why did Queen Rukmini fan Sudama in Srimad Bhagavatam 10.81?

Rukmiṇī’s fanning of Sudāmā expresses reverence for Kṛṣṇa’s beloved devotee and illustrates that pure devotees are honored even by royalty, because devotion is spiritually superior to worldly rank.

How can the teaching of this shloka be applied in modern life?

Treat sincere devotees and guests with warmth, humility, and practical care—seeing devotion and character as the real wealth, and serving others without pride, even when one has higher position or resources.