Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 35

Bhakti as the Easy and Supreme Yoga: Seeing Kṛṣṇa in All and Uddhava’s Departure to Badarikāśrama

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच स एवमादर्शितयोगमार्ग- स्तदोत्तम:श्लोकवचो निशम्य । बद्धाञ्जलि: प्रीत्युपरुद्धकण्ठो न किञ्चिदूचेऽश्रुपरिप्लुताक्ष: ॥ ३५ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca sa evam ādarśita-yoga-mārgas tadottamaḥśloka-vaco niśamya baddhāñjaliḥ prīty-uparuddha-kaṇṭho na kiñcid ūce ’śru-pariplutākṣaḥ

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Hearing these words of Lord Kṛṣṇa and thus being shown the full path of yoga, Uddhava folded his hands in reverence. But his throat choked with love and his eyes brimmed with tears, so he could not speak.

Synonyms

• śrī-śukaḥ: Śrī Śuka
• śrī-śukaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + śuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—'श्रीमान् शुकः' (venerable Śuka)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण/Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (thus/in this manner)

• ādarśita-yoga-mārgaḥ: whose path of yoga had been shown (to him)
• ādarśita-yoga-mārgaḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ādarśita (कृदन्त, आ+√dṛś/दर्शय् धातु) + yoga (प्रातिपदिक) + mārga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'योगमार्गः' (path of yoga) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः, तस्य 'आदर्शितः' (shown)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• uttamaḥ-śloka-vacaḥ: the words of Uttamaśloka (the Lord)
• uttamaḥ-śloka-vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object of niśamya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uttamaḥśloka (प्रातिपदिक) + vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन/एकवचन-रूपसाम्य (vacaḥ = accusative plural or nominative/accusative singular neuter); अत्र द्वितीया बहुवचन (the words); 'उत्तमश्लोकस्य वचांसि' इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• niśamya: having heard
• niśamya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ni+√śam (शम् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• baddha-añjaliḥ: with folded hands
• baddha-añjaliḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: baddha (कृदन्त, √bandh/बन्ध् धातु) + añjali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'अञ्जलिः बद्धः' इति कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषः

• prītyā: out of love
• prītyā: Hetu/Karaṇa (हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prīti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• uparuddha-kaṇṭhaḥ: with choked throat
• uparuddha-kaṇṭhaḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uparuddha (कृदन्त, upa+√rudh/रुध् धातु) + kaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'कण्ठः उपरुद्धः' (throat choked)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• kiñcit: anything
• kiñcit: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kiñcit (सर्वनाम/अव्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक (indefinite pronoun)

• ūce: spoke
• ūce: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (ūce)

• aśru-paripluta-akṣaḥ: whose eyes were flooded with tears
• aśru-paripluta-akṣaḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aśru (प्रातिपदिक) + paripluta (कृदन्त, pari+√plu/प्लु धातु) + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'अश्रुभिः परिप्लुतानि अक्षीणि यस्य'—समासः (eyes flooded with tears)

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Uddhava
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa (Uttamaḥśloka)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about the symptoms of pure devotion (bhakti)?

This verse shows classic bhakti symptoms: folded hands, a voice choked by love, and tear-filled eyes—so intense that the devotee cannot even speak.

Why did Uddhava become speechless after hearing Krishna’s words?

Because Kṛṣṇa had revealed the path of yoga and devotion so profoundly that Uddhava’s heart overflowed with prema (loving devotion), making his throat choke and his eyes fill with tears.

How can this teaching be applied in modern spiritual practice?

Approach sacred teachings with humility and receptivity; when devotion deepens through sincere hearing (śravaṇa), genuine transformation may arise—expressed as reverence, gratitude, and heartfelt emotion.