Shloka 1

Devotion in Kimpuruṣa-varṣa and the Glory of Bhārata-varṣa

Rāmacandra & Nara-Nārāyaṇa; Rivers, Varṇāśrama, and Liberation

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच किम्पुरुषे वर्षे भगवन्तमादिपुरुषं लक्ष्मणाग्रजं सीताभिरामं रामं तच्चरणसन्निकर्षाभिरत: परमभागवतो हनुमान् सह किम्पुरुषैरविरतभक्तिरुपास्ते ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca kimpuruṣe varṣe bhagavantam ādi-puruṣaṁ lakṣmaṇāgrajaṁ sītābhirāmaṁ rāmaṁ tac-caraṇa-sannikarṣābhirataḥ parama-bhāgavato hanumān saha kimpuruṣair avirata-bhaktir upāste.

Translation

Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King, in Kimpuruṣa-varṣa the great devotee Hanumān, together with the inhabitants of that land, is always engaged in bhakti-service to Lord Rāmacandra—the elder brother of Lakṣmaṇa, the beloved husband of Sītādevī, and the Ādi-Puruṣa. Delighting in the nearness of His lotus feet, he worships Him without cease.

Synonyms

• śrī-śukaḥ: Śrī Śuka
• śrī-śukaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + śuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (honorific epithet)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• kimpuruṣe: in Kimpuruṣa (region)
• kimpuruṣe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kimpuruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• varṣe: in the tract/land (varṣa)
• varṣe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• bhagavantam: the Lord
• bhagavantam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• ādi-puruṣam: the original person
• ādi-puruṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘primeval person’)

• lakṣmaṇa-agrajam: Lakṣmaṇa’s elder brother
• lakṣmaṇa-agrajam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + agraja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘elder brother of Lakṣmaṇa’)

• sītā-abhirāmam: dear/pleasing to Sītā
• sītā-abhirāmam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक) + abhirāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘delightful to Sītā’)

• rāmam: Rāma
• rāmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• tat-caraṇa-sannikarṣa-abhirataḥ: delighting in closeness to His feet
• tat-caraṇa-sannikarṣa-abhirataḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + caraṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + sannikarṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + abhirata (कृदन्त; √ram)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः; abhirata = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (‘delighted/engaged’)

• parama-bhāgavataḥ: the foremost devotee
• parama-bhāgavataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāgavata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘supreme devotee’)

• hanumān: Hanumān
• hanumān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hanumat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• saha: together with
• saha: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-योगार्थक-अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable ‘together with’)

• kimpuruṣaiḥ: with the Kimpuruṣas
• kimpuruṣaiḥ: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kimpuruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन (plural)

• avirata-bhaktiḥ: uninterrupted devotion
• avirata-bhaktiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avirata (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘uninterrupted devotion’)

• upāste: worships; serves
• upāste: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√ās (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Hanumān
• Lord Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Sītā

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Hanuman’s devotion to Lord Rama?

This verse states that Hanumān, described as a parama-bhāgavata (topmost devotee), worships Bhagavān Rāma with avirata-bhakti—uninterrupted devotion—always relishing closeness to His lotus feet.

Why is Lord Rama called Ādipuruṣa (the original Supreme Person) in Bhagavatam 5.19.1?

Śukadeva identifies Rāma as Bhagavān and Ādipuruṣa to affirm that Rāma is not merely a historical hero but the Supreme Lord Himself, the original source of all divine manifestations.

How can ‘unbroken devotion’ (avirata-bhakti) be practiced in modern life?

By keeping steady remembrance and service—daily chanting, prayer, reading sacred texts, and offering one’s work to the Lord—so devotion becomes continuous in intention even while fulfilling responsibilities.