Shloka 19

Devanagari script

एवं सन्दर्शिता ह्यङ्ग हरिणा भृत्यवश्यता । स्ववशेनापि कृष्णेन यस्येदं सेश्वरं वशे ॥ १९ ॥

Transliteration

evaṁ sandarśitā hy aṅga hariṇā bhṛtya-vaśyatā sva-vaśenāpi kṛṣṇena yasyedaṁ seśvaraṁ vaśe

Translation

O Parīkṣit, in this pastime Hari revealed His wondrous trait: though Kṛṣṇa controls the entire universe, along with Śiva, Brahmā, Indra and all the gods, He nonetheless comes under the sway of His devotees’ loving bhakti.

Synonyms

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (adverb of manner)

• सन्दर्शिता: was shown
• सन्दर्शिता: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + dṛś (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त, क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘shown/manifested’ (agrees with ‘भृत्यवश्यता’)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/हेतुवाचक

• अङ्ग: O dear (one)
• अङ्ग: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aṅga (अव्यय/सम्बोधन)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• हरिणा: by Hari (Krishna)
• हरिणा: Kartr̥ (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; कर्तृकरणभावे—agent/instrument of passive ‘shown by Hari’

• भृत्य-वश्यता: servant-submissiveness
• भृत्य-वश्यता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhṛtya (प्रातिपदिक) + vaśyatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘भृत्यस्य वश्यता’—state of being controlled by (his) servant

• स्व-वशेन: by his own will/control
• स्व-वशेन: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + vaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘by his own control/independence’

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/अपवाद (also/even)

• कृष्णेन: by Krishna
• कृष्णेन: Kartr̥ (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• यस्य: of whom
• यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सम्बन्धे—‘of whom’

• इदम्: this (world)
• इदम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘this (universe)’

• स-ईश्वरम्: together with its rulers
• स-ईश्वरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘with its lord(s)’ qualifying ‘इदम्’

• वशे: in (his) control
• वशे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरणे—‘in (his) control’

Purport

This pastime of Kṛṣṇa’s is very difficult to understand, but devotees can understand it. It is therefore said, darśayaṁs tad-vidāṁ loka ātmano bhakta-vaśyatām ( Bhāg. 10.11.9 ): the Lord displays the transcendental attribute of coming under the control of His devotees. As stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.35) :

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna being controlled by His devotees?

This verse states that Hari displays bhṛtya-vaśyatā—He allows Himself to be conquered by His servants’ love, even though He is naturally independent and controls the whole universe.

Why does Shukadeva Goswami emphasize that Krishna controls the universe yet is bound by devotion?

In the Dāmodara-līlā context, Śukadeva highlights the paradox of divine love: Kṛṣṇa is the supreme controller, but pure bhakti—like Yaśodā’s maternal affection—can bind Him.

Practical application of bhakta-vashyata in modern life?

Cultivate sincere, loving devotion rather than mere formality—steady service, humility, and affection for the Lord deepen one’s relationship with God, which is the Bhagavatam’s central teaching.