Shloka 24

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

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

Devanagari script

न यत्र वैकुण्ठकथासुधापगा न साधवो भागवतास्तदाश्रया: । न यत्र यज्ञेशमखा महोत्सवा: सुरेशलोकोऽपि न वै स सेव्यताम् ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

na yatra vaikuṇṭha-kathā-sudhāpagā na sādhavo bhāgavatās tadāśrayāḥ na yatra yajñeśa-makhā mahotsavāḥ sureśa-loko ’pi na vai sa sevyatām

Translation

A wise person finds no delight in a place—even the highest heaven—where the nectar-river of Vaikuṇṭha narrations does not flow, where saintly Bhāgavata devotees do not dwell upon its banks, and where there are no great festivals of saṅkīrtana-yajña to please the Lord of sacrifice.

Synonyms

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (particle of negation)

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• vaikuṇṭha-kathā-sudhāpagā: the nectar-river of Vaikuṇṭha’s narrations
• vaikuṇṭha-kathā-sudhāpagā: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaikuṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + kathā (प्रातिपदिक) + sudhā (प्रातिपदिक) + pagā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/निर्देश-सम्बन्ध): ‘वैकुण्ठस्य कथा’ + ‘सुधा’ + ‘पगा/प्रवाहः’

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (particle of negation)

• sādhavaḥ: saints
• sādhavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sādhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• bhāgavatāḥ: devotees of the Lord
• bhāgavatāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāgavata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• tad-āśrayāḥ: taking refuge in that (kathā/that place)
• tad-āśrayāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/of sādhavaḥ/bhāgavatāḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + āśraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष): ‘तत्-आश्रय’ = तस्मिन् आश्रिताः

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (particle of negation)

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• yajñeśa-makhāḥ: sacrifices for the Lord of sacrifice
• yajñeśa-makhāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajñeśa (प्रातिपदिक) + makha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): ‘यज्ञेशस्य मखाः’

• mahotsavāḥ: great festivals
• mahotsavāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + utsava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः (कर्मधारय): ‘महान् उत्सवः’

• sureśa-lokaḥ: the world of the lord of the gods (Indra’s heaven)
• sureśa-lokaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sureśa (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): ‘सुरेशस्य लोकः’

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

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (particle of negation)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• saḥ: that (place/world)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• sevyatām: should be served/visited
• sevyatām: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sev (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative/benedictive usage), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense): ‘let it be served/visited’

Purport

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared in the land of Bhārata-varṣa, specifically in Bengal, in the district of Nadia, where Navadvīpa is situated. It is therefore to be concluded, as stated by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, that within this universe, this earth is the best planet, and on this planet the land of Bhārata-varṣa is the best; in the land of Bhārata-varṣa, Bengal is still better, in Bengal the district of Nadia is still better, and in Nadia the best place is Navadvīpa because Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared there to inaugurate the performance of the sacrifice of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. The śāstras recommend:

Characters & Entities

• Yajñeśa (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about choosing a place to live?

This verse says a place is truly worth residing in only when it has devotion—topics of the Lord, saintly devotees, and worship meant for Viṣṇu; even heaven is not desirable without these.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī say even the demigods' realm is not worth seeking?

Because the Bhagavatam values bhakti above worldly or heavenly enjoyment; without devotion, association of devotees, and glorification of the Lord, even exalted realms do not fulfill life’s real purpose.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Prioritize environments that nourish devotion—regular hearing/reading of Bhagavatam, association with sincere devotees, and worship/festivals centered on the Lord—over mere prestige, comfort, or status.