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Shloka 27

Sudāmā Brāhmaṇa Receives Kṛṣṇa’s Mercy

The Gift of Flat Rice

पत्नीं वीक्ष्य विस्फुरन्तीं देवीं वैमानिकीमिव । दासीनां निष्ककण्ठीनां मध्ये भान्तीं स विस्मित: ॥ २७ ॥

patnīṁ vīkṣya visphurantīṁ devīṁ vaimānikīm iva dāsīnāṁ niṣka-kaṇṭhīnāṁ madhye bhāntīṁ sa vismitaḥ

Sudāmā was amazed to see his wife. Shining among maidservants wearing jeweled lockets, she appeared as radiant as a goddess in a celestial vimāna.

पत्नीम्wife
पत्नीम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन
वीक्ष्यhaving seen
वीक्ष्य:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeVerb
Rootवीक्ष् (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having seen’
विस्फुरन्तीम्shining, flashing
विस्फुरन्तीम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootविस्फुरत् (कृदन्त, √स्फुर् धातु)
Formवर्तमानकृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; पत्नीम् विशेषण
देवीम्goddess-like lady
देवीम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootदेवी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; पत्नीम् के अपपद/विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध
वैमानिकीम्celestial (of the aerial/vaimānika world)
वैमानिकीम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootवैमानिकी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; देवीम्/पत्नीम् विशेषण
इवlike, as if
इव:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उपमा)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव (अव्यय)
Formउपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)
दासीनाम्of maidservants
दासीनाम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootदासी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन
निष्ककण्ठीनाम्of those wearing gold neck-ornaments (niṣka)
निष्ककण्ठीनाम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeAdjective
Rootनिष्क + कण्ठी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (niṣka-kaṇṭhī = ‘having niṣka on the neck’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; दासीनाम् विशेषण
मध्येin the middle
मध्ये:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootमध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; ‘in the midst’
भान्तीम्radiant, appearing splendid
भान्तीम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootभान्ती (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √भा धातु)
Formवर्तमानकृदन्त (Present participle sense), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; पत्नीम् विशेषण
सःhe
सः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
विस्मितःastonished
विस्मितः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootविस्मित (कृदन्त; √स्मि/√स्मय् धातु)
Formभूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सः विशेषण

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains that up to now the Supreme Lord had kept the brāhmaṇa in his wretched state so that his wife could recognize him.

S
Sudāmā
S
Sudāmā's wife
L
Lord Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

It describes Sudāmā’s astonishment on seeing his wife suddenly radiant like a heavenly lady, surrounded by well-adorned maidservants—showing the visible transformation brought by Lord Kṛṣṇa’s grace.

Because Sudāmā had been extremely poor; after meeting Lord Kṛṣṇa, divine opulence manifested at his home, and his wife appeared splendidly adorned, which shocked him.

Sincere devotion and humility invite divine support; the verse encourages faith that spiritual sincerity can change one’s life, while reminding devotees not to lose simplicity even when prosperity comes.