Shloka 17

Nābhāga’s Inheritance, Śiva’s Verdict, and the Rise of Ambarīṣa—Prelude to Durvāsā’s Offense

Devanagari script

वासुदेवे भगवति तद्भक्तेषु च साधुषु । प्राप्तो भावं परं विश्वं येनेदं लोष्ट्रवत् स्मृतम् ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

vāsudeve bhagavati tad-bhakteṣu ca sādhuṣu prāpto bhāvaṁ paraṁ viśvaṁ yenedaṁ loṣṭravat smṛtam

Translation

Mahārāja Ambarīṣa was a great devotee of Bhagavān Vāsudeva and of the saintly devotees of the Lord. By that devotion he regarded the entire universe as insignificant as a mere stone.

Synonyms

• vāsudeve: in Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
• vāsudeve: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location—object of devotion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsudeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhagavati: the Blessed Lord
• bhagavati: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); विशेषण of ‘vāsudeve’

• tad-bhakteṣu: among His devotees
• tad-bhakteṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Among)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + bhakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘tasya bhaktāḥ’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• sādhuṣu: among the saintly
• sādhuṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Among)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sādhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• prāptaḥ: having attained
• prāptaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—describing Ambarīṣa)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra+āp (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘having attained’

• bhāvam: state/attitude
• bhāvam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• param: supreme
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); विशेषण of ‘bhāvam’

• viśvam: the universe
• viśvam: Karma (कर्म/Object—regarded as)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• yena: by which
• yena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter/Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun ‘by which’

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); here object of ‘smṛtam’

• loṣṭra-vat: like a clod (of earth)
• loṣṭra-vat: Upamā (उपमा/Simile adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: loṣṭra (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित)
• Form: Comparative indeclinable (वत्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय), ‘like a clod’

• smṛtam: was regarded
• smṛtam: Kriyā (क्रिया—passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); passive sense ‘was considered’

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
• Ambarīṣa Mahārāja

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about becoming detached from the world through bhakti?

This verse says that by attaining supreme devotion to Vāsudeva and affection for His devotees, one naturally sees the entire world as insignificant—like a mere clod of earth.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe Ambarīṣa Mahārāja as seeing the world like a clod of earth?

Śukadeva highlights Ambarīṣa’s advanced bhakti: his love for Kṛṣṇa and saintly devotees produced genuine vairāgya, making worldly prestige and possessions lose their hold.

How can I apply this teaching of detachment in modern life?

Practice steady devotion to Kṛṣṇa and cultivate respect and service to sincere devotees; as attachment to bhakti deepens, worldly anxieties and cravings naturally diminish.