Shloka 28

Vidura Leaves Hastināpura and Meets Uddhava

Vidura’s Tīrtha-yātrā Begins

Devanagari script

कच्चिद्वरूथाधिपतिर्यदूनां प्रद्युम्न आस्ते सुखमङ्ग वीर: । यं रुक्‍मिणी भगवतोऽभिलेभे आराध्य विप्रान् स्मरमादिसर्गे ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

kaccid varūthādhipatir yadūnāṁ pradyumna āste sukham aṅga vīraḥ yaṁ rukmiṇī bhagavato ’bhilebhe ārādhya viprān smaram ādi-sarge

Translation

O Uddhava, please tell me: is heroic Pradyumna, commander of the Yadus, faring well? In the first creation he was Smara (Kāmadeva); Rukmiṇī, having pleased the brāhmaṇas by worship, received him as a son from Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa by their grace.

Synonyms

• कच्चित्: whether
• कच्चित्: Vākya-prayojaka (वाक्यप्रयोजक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक-निपात

• वरूथ-अधिपतिः: commander/lord of the troops
• वरूथ-अधिपतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरूथ (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वरूथस्य अधिपतिः)

• यदूनाम्: of the Yadus
• यदूनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यदु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• प्रद्युम्नः: Pradyumna
• प्रद्युम्नः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रद्युम्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आस्ते: dwells, is
• आस्ते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• सुखम्: happily
• सुखम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण

• अङ्ग: O dear
• अङ्ग: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अङ्ग (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; संबोधन-निपात

• वीरः: hero
• वीरः: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणरूपेण

• यम्: whom
• यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• रुक्मिणी: Rukmiṇī
• रुक्मिणी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुक्मिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भगवतः: of the Lord
• भगवतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अभिलेभे: obtained, won
• अभिलेभे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + √लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• आराध्य: having worshipped
• आराध्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + √राध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive), ‘having worshipped/propitiated’

• विप्रान्: brāhmaṇas
• विप्रान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• स्मरम्: Kāma (Cupid)
• स्मरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आदि-सर्गे: at the beginning of creation
• आदि-सर्गे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सर्ग), सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समासः (आदिः सर्गः)

Purport

According to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, Smara (Cupid, or Kāmadeva) is one of the eternal associates of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Jīva Gosvāmī has explained this very elaborately in his treatise Kṛṣṇa-sandarbha.

Characters & Entities

• Pradyumna
• Rukmiṇī
• Bhagavān (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
• Smara (Kāma/Cupid)

FAQs

Who is Pradyumna in the Srimad Bhagavatam and why is he important?

In this verse, Pradyumna is described as the varūthādhipati—the military commander of the Yadus—and as the son of Bhagavān (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) obtained by Rukmiṇī. The verse highlights both his royal role and his divine identity connected with Smara (Cupid).

Why does Vidura ask about Pradyumna’s welfare in Canto 3 Chapter 1?

Vidura is inquiring from Uddhava about the well-being of Kṛṣṇa’s relatives and associates in Dvārakā. Asking about Pradyumna specifically shows Vidura’s concern for the Yadu leaders and Kṛṣṇa’s family after major events in the Lord’s pastimes.

What practical lesson does this shloka teach for modern life?

It emphasizes honoring and pleasing saintly brāhmaṇas and devotees (viprān ārādhya) and valuing dharmic leadership—strength guided by devotion and proper conduct.