Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 28

Nārada Instructs the Pracetās: Bhakti as the Goal of All Paths

Devanagari script

इमां तु कौषारविणोपवर्णितां क्षत्ता निशम्याजितवादसत्कथाम् । प्रवृद्धभावोऽश्रुकलाकुलो मुने- र्दधार मूर्ध्ना चरणं हृदा हरे: ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

imāṁ tu kauṣāraviṇopavarṇitāṁ kṣattā niśamyājita-vāda-sat-kathām pravṛddha-bhāvo ’śru-kalākulo muner dadhāra mūrdhnā caraṇaṁ hṛdā hareḥ

Translation

Ô roi, ayant entendu du grand sage Maitreya Kausāravi ces récits saints sur Ajita, la Personne Suprême, Vidura fut submergé d’extase. Les yeux baignés de larmes, il tomba aussitôt aux pieds de lotus de son maître spirituel et établit Hari au plus profond de son cœur.

Synonyms

• imām: this
• imām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• tu: but/and
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (निपात)

• kauṣāraviṇā: by Kauṣāravi (Maitreya)
• kauṣāraviṇā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kauṣāravi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• upavarṇitām: described/narrated
• upavarṇitām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-varṇ (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (कर्मणि भूतकृदन्त/क्त), Feminine, Accusative, Singular; agrees with imām

• kṣattā: Vidura (Kṣattā)
• kṣattā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣattṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• niśamya: having heard
• niśamya: Kriya (क्रिया-अनुक्रम)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-śam (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), indeclinable

• ajita-vāda-sat-kathām: the holy narration of Ajita’s discourse
• ajita-vāda-sat-kathām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ajita (प्रातिपदिक) + vāda (प्रातिपदिक) + sat (प्रातिपदिक) + kathā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular; multi-member tatpuruṣa: (Ajita’s discourse = ajita-vāda) qualifying sat-kathā (holy talk)

• pravṛddha-bhāvaḥ: with emotion greatly increased
• pravṛddha-bhāvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pravṛddha (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; karmadhāraya; predicate adjective of kṣattā

• aśru-kalā-ākulaḥ: agitated with streams of tears
• aśru-kalā-ākulaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aśru (प्रातिपदिक) + kalā (प्रातिपदिक) + ākula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; tatpuruṣa (ākulaḥ aśru-kalābhiḥ)

• muneḥ: of the sage
• muneḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• dadhāra: held/bore
• dadhāra: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• mūrdhnā: with (his) head
• mūrdhnā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrdhan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• caraṇam: foot
• caraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• hṛdā: with (his) heart
• hṛdā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛd (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• hareḥ: of Hari
• hareḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

Purport

This is a sign of associating with great devotees. A devotee takes instructions from a liberated soul and is thus overwhelmed by ecstasy from transcendental pleasure. As stated by Prahlāda Mahārāja:

Characters & Entities

• Kauṣāravi (Nārada Muni)
• Kṣattā (Vidura)
• Hari
• Ajita

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the effect of hearing hari-katha?

This verse shows that attentive hearing of authentic glorification of Ajita (the Lord) awakens intense bhakti, producing humility and tears—natural signs of a heart being touched by devotion.

Why did Vidura (Kṣattā) place the sage’s feet on his head?

Overcome with devotion after hearing Nārada’s sacred narration, Vidura expressed reverence and surrender by honoring the sage’s feet—while internally fixing his heart on Hari’s lotus feet.

Practical application of this shloka in modern life?

Regularly hear genuine Bhagavatam teachings from realized devotees, cultivate humility toward teachers of bhakti, and consciously bring the mind back to Hari’s feet as the inner anchor of life.