Shloka 21

The Lord’s Apology to the Kumāras and the Fall of Jaya and Vijaya

Devanagari script

यस्तां विविक्तचरितैरनुवर्तमानां नात्याद्रियत्परमभागवतप्रसङ्ग: । स त्वं द्विजानुपथपुण्यरज: पुनीत: श्रीवत्सलक्ष्म किमगा भगभाजनस्त्वम् ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

yas tāṁ vivikta-caritair anuvartamānāṁ nātyādriyat parama-bhāgavata-prasaṅgaḥ sa tvaṁ dvijānupatha-puṇya-rajaḥ-punītaḥ śrīvatsa-lakṣma kim agā bhaga-bhājanas tvam

Translation

O Lord, bearing the mark of Śrīvatsa and ever accompanied by Lakṣmī, You are deeply devoted to the association and deeds of Your pure bhāgavata devotees, yet You are never attached even to the goddesses of fortune who constantly serve You in transcendental love. How, then, could the sacred dust of the brāhmaṇas’ path purify You, and how could the Śrīvatsa emblem upon Your chest make You in any way more glorious or fortunate?

Synonyms

• यः: he who
• यः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन; relative pronoun

• ताम्: her/that (goddess)
• ताम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• विविक्त-चरितैः: by (their) pure conduct
• विविक्त-चरितैः: करण/सह (Instrument/association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विविक्त + चरित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: 'pure/aloof conduct'; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (चरित), तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• अनुवर्तमानाम्: following; accompanying
• अनुवर्तमानाम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु + वृत् (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present participle, शानच्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन; agrees with ताम्

• न: not
• न: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• अति: excessively
• अति: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अति (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय (intensifier)

• आद्रियत्: he respected; he welcomed
• आद्रियत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दॄ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• परम-भागवत-प्रसङ्गः: (he,) the association with the supreme devotees
• परम-भागवत-प्रसङ्गः: कर्ता (Appositional subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + भागवत + प्रसङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: 'association with the supreme devotees'; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन; apposition to यः (subject)

• सः: that (one)
• सः: विषय-निर्देश (Correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; correlative pronoun

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन; 2nd person pronoun

• द्विज-अनुपथ-पुण्य-रजः-पुनीतः: purified by the sacred dust on the path of the brāhmaṇas
• द्विज-अनुपथ-पुण्य-रजः-पुनीतः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्विज + अनुपथ + पुण्य + रजस् + पुनीत (पू धातु + क्त)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: 'purified by the holy dust on the path of the twice-born'; पुनीतः = क्त-कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; whole compound adjective to त्वम्

• श्रीवत्स-लक्ष्म: O bearer of the Śrīvatsa mark
• श्रीवत्स-लक्ष्म: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीवत्स + लक्ष्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि-भावार्थ: 'O you marked with Śrīvatsa' (vocative form लक्ष्मन्/लक्ष्म)

• किम्: why? / what?
• किम्: प्रश्न (Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc.) used adverbially; interrogative

• अगाः: did you go; did you come
• अगाः: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• भग-भाजनः: recipient of fortune; possessor of glory
• भग-भाजनः: विधेय (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भग + भाजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: 'recipient of fortune'; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन; predicate to त्वम्

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति for emphasis

Purport

It is said in the Brahma-saṁhitā that the Lord is always served by many hundreds of thousands of goddesses of fortune in His Vaikuṇṭha planet, yet because of His attitude of renunciation of all opulences, He is not attached to any one of them. The Lord has six opulences — unlimited wealth, unlimited fame, unlimited strength, unlimited beauty, unlimited knowledge and unlimited renunciation. All the demigods and other living entities worship Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune, just to get her favor, yet the Lord is never attached to her because He can create an unlimited number of such goddesses for His transcendental service. The goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī, is sometimes envious of the tulasī leaves which are placed at the lotus feet of the Lord, for they remain fixed there and do not move, whereas Lakṣmījī, although stationed by the chest of the Lord, sometimes has to please other devotees who pray for her favor. Lakṣmījī sometimes has to go to satisfy her numerous devotees, but tulasī leaves never forsake their position, and the Lord therefore appreciates the service of the tulasī more than the service of Lakṣmī. So when the Lord says that it is due to the causeless mercy of the brāhmaṇas that Lakṣmījī does not leave Him, we can understand that Lakṣmījī is attracted by the opulence of the Lord, not by the brāhmaṇas’ benedictions upon Him. The Lord is not dependent on anyone’s mercy for His opulence; He is always self-sufficient. The Lord’s statement that His opulence is due to the benediction of the brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas is only to teach others that they should offer respect to the brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas, the devotees of the Lord.

Characters & Entities

• Four Kumaras
• Lord Vishnu (Narayana)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam (Canto 3) say about the importance of sadhu-sanga (association of devotees)?

This verse praises one who never neglects the association and devotional discussions of the parama-bhāgavatas, implying that such company is essential for staying on the pure path of bhakti.

Why did the Four Kumaras speak about devotee association to Lord Vishnu in Canto 3 Chapter 16?

After being stopped at Vaikuṇṭha’s gate, the Kumāras encountered Lord Viṣṇu personally; they glorified devotion and the devotees, and marveled that the Lord—source of all fortune—still honors the dust of brāhmaṇas and devotees.

How can I apply this Bhagavatam teaching in modern life?

Prioritize regular time with sincere devotees—through satsanga, study circles, kīrtana, and service—so your values and practice stay aligned with pure bhakti rather than worldly distraction.