Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 20

Arjuna Marries Subhadrā; Kṛṣṇa Honors Two Devotees in Mithilā (Śrutadeva and Bahulāśva)

Devanagari script

आनर्तधन्वकुरुजाङ्गलकङ्कमत्स्य- पाञ्चालकुन्तिमधुकेकयकोशलार्णा: । अन्ये च तन्मुखसरोजमुदारहास- स्‍निग्धेक्षणं नृप पपुर्द‍ृशिभिर्नृनार्य: ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

ānarta-dhanva-kuru-jāṅgala-kaṅka-matsya- pāñcāla-kunti-madhu-kekaya-kośalārṇāḥ anye ca tan-mukha-sarojam udāra-hāsa- snigdhekṣaṇaṁ nṛpa papur dṛśibhir nr-nāryaḥ

Translation

O King, the men and women of Ānarta, Dhanva, Kuru-jāṅgala, Kaṅka, Matsya, Pañcāla, Kunti, Madhu, Kekaya, Kośala, Arṇa and many other lands drank with their eyes the nectarean beauty of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s lotuslike face, adorned with generous smiles and affectionate glances.

Synonyms

• ānarta-dhanva-kuru-jāṅgala-kaṅka-matsya-pāñcāla-kunti-madhu-kekaya-kośala-arṇāḥ: the kings/people of Ānarta, Dhanva, Kuru, Jāṅgala, Kaṅka, Matsya, Pāñcāla, Kunti, Madhu, Kekaya, Kośala and Arṇa
• ānarta-dhanva-kuru-jāṅgala-kaṅka-matsya-pāñcāla-kunti-madhu-kekaya-kośala-arṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ānarta + dhanva + kuru + jāṅgala + kaṅka + matsya + pāñcāla + kunti + madhu + kekaya + kośala + arṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; जनपद-नृपसमूहवाचकः (collective of kings/peoples)

• anye: others
• anye: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम-प्रयोगः (pronominal adjective used substantively)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier)

• mukha-sarojam: the lotus of (his) face
• mukha-sarojam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukha (प्रातिपदिक) + saroja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (mukhasya sarojaṃ)

• udāra-hāsa-snigdha-īkṣaṇam: (his) generous smile and affectionate glance
• udāra-hāsa-snigdha-īkṣaṇam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udāra (प्रातिपदिक) + hāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + snigdha (प्रातिपदिक) + īkṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण-समाससमूहः—“उदारः हासः” तथा “स्निग्धं ईक्षणम्” इति कर्मधारय-प्रायः

• nṛpa: O king
• nṛpa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• papuḥ: they drank (beheld with relish)
• papuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pā (धाातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• dṛśibhiḥ: with (their) eyes
• dṛśibhiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dṛś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• nṛ-nāryaḥ: men and women
• nṛ-nāryaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + nārī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (समाहार/समूहवाचक), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (men and women)

Characters & Entities

• Parīkṣit Mahārāja
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna’s beauty and the power of darshan?

This verse says that people from many kingdoms “drank with their eyes” the lotus of Kṛṣṇa’s face—His smile and affectionate glances nourish devotion like nectar.

Who is speaking in Bhagavatam 10.86.20 and to whom?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī speaks to Parīkṣit Mahārāja, describing how the assembled men and women beheld Śrī Kṛṣṇa during the great gathering at Kurukṣetra.

How can this verse be applied in modern devotional life?

It teaches the practice of attentive “darśana”—to steadily behold the Lord with love (through deity worship, holy name, and scripture), letting the heart be softened by His mercy-filled glance.