Shloka 24

Devanagari script

स्वर्गो न प्रार्थितो यस्य मनुजैरमरप्रिय: । श‍ृण्वद्भिरुपगायद्भिरुत्तमश्लोकचेष्टितम् ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

svargo na prārthito yasya manujair amara-priyaḥ śṛṇvadbhir upagāyadbhir uttamaśloka-ceṣṭitam

Translation

The citizens of Mahārāja Ambarīṣa’s realm continually heard and sang the divine deeds of the Lord, Uttamaśloka; therefore they did not even desire heaven, though it is dear to the demigods.

Synonyms

• svargaḥ: heaven
• svargaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• prārthitaḥ: was requested
• prārthitaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-arth (धातु √अर्थ्/अर्थय्) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (भूतकर्मणि/कर्मणि प्रयोग), क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘प्रार्थितः’ = ‘requested/desired’

• yasya: of whom
• yasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• manujaiḥ: by men
• manujaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manuja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• amara-priyaḥ: dear to the immortals (gods)
• amara-priyaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: amara (प्रातिपदिक) + priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अमराणां प्रियः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• śṛṇvadbhiḥ: by (those) hearing
• śṛṇvadbhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु √श्रु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ-प्रत्यय), तृतीया (Instrumental) बहुवचन; ‘hearing’

• upagāyadbhiḥ: by (those) singing (His deeds)
• upagāyadbhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-gai (धातु √गै/√गा) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ-प्रत्यय), तृतीया बहुवचन; ‘singing along/chanting’

• uttamaśloka-ceṣṭitam: the deeds of the Lord of excellent fame
• uttamaśloka-ceṣṭitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uttamaśloka (प्रातिपदिक) + ceṣṭita (प्रातिपदिक; √चेष्ट् + क्त)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (उत्तमश्लोकस्य चेष्टितम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Purport

A pure devotee who has been trained in the practice of chanting and hearing the holy name of the Lord and His fame, qualities, form, paraphernalia and so on is never interested in elevation to the heavenly planets, even though such places are extremely dear even to the demigods.

Characters & Entities

• Uttamaśloka (Śrī Hari / Bhagavān)

FAQs

Why does the Srimad Bhagavatam say a devotee does not pray for Svarga (heaven)?

Because a pure devotee is satisfied in bhakti—hearing and chanting the Lord’s pastimes—and therefore does not seek temporary celestial enjoyment.

Who is Uttamaśloka in Bhagavatam and why are His deeds emphasized here?

Uttamaśloka refers to the Supreme Lord, praised by sublime prayers; His deeds are the nourishment of devotion, drawing the mind away from material goals like Svarga.

How can I apply ‘hearing and chanting the Lord’s pastimes’ in daily life?

Set a fixed time to hear Bhagavatam/Krishna-kathā and regularly chant or sing the Lord’s names and līlās; this gradually replaces worldly ambitions with devotion.