Shloka 29

Hari’s Special Mercy, Śiva’s Quick Boons, and the Deliverance from Vṛkāsura

Devanagari script

श्रीभगवानुवाच शाकुनेय भवान् व्यक्तं श्रान्त: किं दूरमागत: । क्षणं विश्रम्यतां पुंस आत्मायं सर्वकामधुक् ॥ २९ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-bhagavān uvāca śākuneya bhavān vyaktaṁ śrāntaḥ kiṁ dūram āgataḥ kṣaṇaṁ viśramyatāṁ puṁsa ātmāyaṁ sarva-kāma-dhuk

Translation

The Supreme Lord said: “O son of Śakuni, you are plainly weary. Why have you come from so far away? Rest for a moment. After all, this body is the instrument by which a person fulfills all desires.”

Synonyms

• śrī-bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• śrī-bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī-bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); संबोधनार्थे वक्तृ-निर्देशः

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• śākuneya: O Śākuneya
• śākuneya: Sambodhana (संबोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śākuneya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (संबोधन/8), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhavān: you (honored sir)
• bhavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); आदरार्थ-प्रयोगः (honorific pronoun)

• vyaktam: clearly
• vyaktam: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vyakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• śrāntaḥ: tired
• śrāntaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śrānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); विशेषणम् (qualifying bhavān)

• kim: whether?/why?/what?
• kim: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative particle (प्रश्नाव्यय)

• dūram: far
• dūram: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb of measure (परिमाण-क्रियाविशेषण)

• āgataḥ: (have) come
• āgataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-gam (धातु)
• Form: Past active participle (क्त/कृत्), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); कर्तरि प्रयोगः

• kṣaṇam: for a moment
• kṣaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); काल-अवधि (duration)

• viśramyatām: let (him/you) rest
• viśramyatām: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-śram (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद); आज्ञार्थे (let ... rest)

• puṁsaḥ: of a man
• puṁsaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pumān (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• ātmā: the self
• ātmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• ayam: this
• ayam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• sarva-kāma-dhuk: yielding all desires (wish-fulfilling)
• sarva-kāma-dhuk: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + duh (धातु; धुक्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग) stem in -k (धुक्), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); विशेषणम् (qualifying ātmā)

Purport

In Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrīla Prabhupāda comments: “Before the demon could argue that he had no time to take rest, the Lord began to inform him about the importance of the body, and the demon was convinced. Any man, especially a demon, takes his body to be very important.”

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kṛṣṇa
• Śākuneya (descendant of Śakuni; addressed sage)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Self (Ātmā) fulfilling desires?

This verse states that the Ātmā within a person is “sarva-kāma-dhuk,” the source that can fulfill all desires—implying that lasting fulfillment is rooted in inner spiritual realization rather than external acquisition.

Why did Lord Kṛṣṇa ask Śākuneya if he had come from far away?

Seeing the guest visibly tired, Kṛṣṇa compassionately inquired about his journey and invited him to rest, exemplifying dharmic hospitality and care for a visiting saint.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Practice mindful rest and compassion toward others, and remember that deep contentment comes from cultivating inner awareness (Ātmā) through devotion, reflection, and disciplined living—not merely from chasing external goals.