Shloka 1

Vidura Leaves Hastināpura and Meets Uddhava

Vidura’s Tīrtha-yātrā Begins

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच एवमेतत्पुरा पृष्टो मैत्रेयो भगवान् किल । क्षत्‍त्रा वनं प्रविष्टेन त्यक्त्वा स्वगृहमृद्धिमत् ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca evam etat purā pṛṣṭo maitreyo bhagavān kila kṣattrā vanaṁ praviṣṭena tyaktvā sva-gṛham ṛddhimat

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Formerly, Vidura—the great devotee—renounced his prosperous home, entered the forest, and asked this question of the venerable sage Maitreya.

Synonyms

• śrī-śukaḥ: Śrī Śuka
• śrī-śukaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + śuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); proper name

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• purā: formerly
• purā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of time (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• pṛṣṭaḥ: having been asked
• pṛṣṭaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pṛcch (धातु) → pṛṣṭa (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• maitreyaḥ: Maitreya
• maitreyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maitreya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); proper name

• bhagavān: the venerable one
• bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• kila: indeed / it is said
• kila: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kila (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), indicating report/indeed

• kṣattrā: by the Kṣattā (Vidura)
• kṣattrā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣattr (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• vanam: forest
• vanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• praviṣṭena: having entered
• praviṣṭena: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-viś (धातु) → praviṣṭa (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Past active participle in instrumental (क्त as adjectival), Masculine/Neuter Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with kṣattrā (by one who had entered)

• tyaktvā: having abandoned
• tyaktvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tyaj (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा)

• sva-gṛham: his own home
• sva-gṛham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• ṛddhi-mat: prosperous
• ṛddhi-mat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṛddhi (प्रातिपदिक) + matup (मतुप् प्रत्यय)
• Form: Adjective (विशेषण), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies gṛham

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Maitreya
• Vidura

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 3 Chapter 1 say about Vidura leaving home?

This verse states that Vidura left his prosperous home and entered the forest, approaching Maitreya to inquire about spiritual truth.

Why did Vidura ask Maitreya these questions in the Bhagavatam?

Because Vidura had renounced worldly comfort and sought higher knowledge; Maitreya was a revered sage capable of answering profound questions about the Lord and creation.

How can I apply Vidura’s example in modern life according to this shloka?

Prioritize sincere inquiry and association with realized teachers—reducing attachment to comfort when it obstructs spiritual growth.