Shloka 26

Vidura Leaves Hastināpura and Meets Uddhava

Vidura’s Tīrtha-yātrā Begins

Devanagari script

कच्चित्पुराणौ पुरुषौ स्वनाभ्य- पाद्मानुवृत्त्येह किलावतीर्णौ । आसात उर्व्या: कुशलं विधाय कृतक्षणौ कुशलं शूरगेहे ॥ २६ ॥

Transliteration

kaccit purāṇau puruṣau svanābhya- pādmānuvṛttyeha kilāvatīrṇau āsāta urvyāḥ kuśalaṁ vidhāya kṛta-kṣaṇau kuśalaṁ śūra-gehe

Translation

Please tell me: are the two primeval Personalities of Godhead—who descended at the request of Brahmā, born from the lotus of the Lord’s navel, and who have brought welfare to the earth—now well in the house of Śūrasena?

Synonyms

• कच्चित्: whether, I wonder if
• कच्चित्: Vākya-prayojaka (वाक्यप्रयोजक/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक-निपात (interrogative particle)

• पुराणौ: ancient, primeval
• पुराणौ: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; विशेषण

• पुरुषौ: two persons
• पुरुषौ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• स्व-नाभि-पाद्म-अनुवृत्त्या: by following the lotus from (His) own navel
• स्व-नाभि-पाद्म-अनुवृत्त्या: Hetu/Karaṇa (हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + नाभि (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुवृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (अनुवृत्ति), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः (स्वनाभेः पाद्मस्य अनुवृत्तिः)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• किल: indeed, it is said
• किल: Vākya-nipāta (वाक्यनिपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: indeed/it is said)

• अवतीर्णौ: descended, incarnated
• अवतीर्णौ: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवतीर्ण (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; अव + √तॄ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• आसाताम्: have been/are (have come to be)
• आसाताम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √आस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, द्विवचन; रूपम्: आसाताम्/आसात (पाठभेदानुसार)

• उर्व्याः: of the earth
• उर्व्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उर्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• कुशलम्: welfare, well-being
• कुशलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुशल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• विधाय: having accomplished
• विधाय: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive), ‘having done/arranged’

• कृत-क्षणौ: having completed their task/time
• कृत-क्षणौ: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृदन्त; √कृ + क्त) + क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कृतः क्षणः ययोः/कृतक्षणौ = ‘whose time is fulfilled/briefly staying’)

• कुशलम्: welfare
• कुशलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुशल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शूर-गेहे: in the house of Śūra
• शूर-गेहे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर (प्रातिपदिक) + गेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (गेह), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शूरस्य गेहे)

Purport

Lord Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma are not two different Personalities of Godhead. God is one without a second, but He expands Himself in many forms without their being separate from one another. They are all plenary expansions. The immediate expansion of Lord Kṛṣṇa is Baladeva, and Brahmā, born from the lotus flower from Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, is an expansion of Baladeva. This indicates that Kṛṣṇa and Baladeva are not subjected to the regulations of the universe; on the contrary, the whole universe is under Their subjugation. They appeared at the request of Brahmā to liberate the burden of the world, and They relieved the world by many superhuman activities so that everyone became happy and prosperous. Without the grace of the Lord, no one can become happy and prosperous. Because the happiness of the family of the Lord’s devotees depends on the happiness of the Lord, Vidura first of all inquired about the well-being of the Lord.

Characters & Entities

• Vidura
• Uddhava
• Brahma
• Sura (Surasena/Śūra)
• Krishna
• Balarama

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 3 Chapter 1 say about Krishna and Balarama’s descent?

Vidura refers to the two ancient divine persons (Krishna and Balarama) as having descended to the world in accordance with the cosmic arrangement connected with Brahmā’s birth from the navel-lotus, and he asks if they have arrived safely after setting the earth in order.

Why does Vidura ask Uddhava about the house of Śūra (Śūrasena)?

Because Krishna and Balarama are connected with the Yadu dynasty rooted in Śūrasena’s line; Vidura, eager for news of the Lord, asks whether They have gone there safely after completing Their mission for the earth.

Practical application: what does “ensuring the welfare of the earth” teach a devotee today?

It highlights responsible, dharma-centered action: serve the world as a duty while keeping devotion to the Lord central, remembering that divine purpose includes restoring balance and well-being.