Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 36

Śaryāti, Sukanyā, Cyavana Muni, the Aśvinī-kumāras, and Kakudmī-Revatī

Baladeva Marriage

Devanagari script

सुतां दत्त्वानवद्याङ्गीं बलाय बलशालिने । बदर्याख्यं गतो राजा तप्तुं नारायणाश्रमम् ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

sutāṁ dattvānavadyāṅgīṁ balāya bala-śāline badary-ākhyaṁ gato rājā taptuṁ nārāyaṇāśramam

Translation

Ensuite, le roi donna en offrande de charité sa fille, d’une beauté sans tache, au très puissant Baladeva. Puis, détaché du monde, il se retira à Badarikāśrama afin d’accomplir des austérités et de plaire à Nara-Nārāyaṇa.

Synonyms

• सुताम्: daughter
• सुताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु) → दत्त्वा (कृदन्त, त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘having given’

• अनवद्याङ्गीम्: faultless-limbed (girl)
• अनवद्याङ्गीम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनवद्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘अनवद्या अङ्गी यस्याः सा’/‘faultless-limbed’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सुताम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• बलाय: to Bala
• बलाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन

• बलशालिने: to the strong one
• बलशालिने: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक) + शालिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपपद/षष्ठीभाव: ‘बलस्य शालिन्’ = possessing strength); पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; बलाय इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• बदर्याख्यम्: called Badarī
• बदर्याख्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बदरी (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘बदरी-आख्य’ = named Badarī); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; आश्रमम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• गतः: went
• गतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय) भूतार्थे; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तप्तुम्: to do austerities
• तप्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तप् (धातु) → तप्तुम् (कृदन्त, तुमुन्)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्यय (infinitive); ‘to perform austerity’

• नारायणाश्रमम्: Nārāyaṇa’s hermitage
• नारायणाश्रमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘नारायणस्य आश्रमः’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

Purport

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Ninth Canto, Third Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “The Marriage of Sukanyā and Cyavana Muni.”

Characters & Entities

• Bala
• Nārāyaṇa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about going to Badrikashrama (Narayana-ashram)?

This verse presents Badarī (Badrikāśrama) as the sacred āśrama of Lord Nārāyaṇa, a place where a king goes specifically to perform tapasya, indicating pilgrimage aimed at spiritual discipline and God-centered austerity.

Why did the king give his daughter to King Bala and then go to perform austerities?

The verse shows a dharmic sequence: after completing worldly responsibility (marrying off his daughter to the powerful Bala), the king turns toward higher spiritual duty by going to Nārāyaṇa’s hermitage for austerities.

Practical application of tapasya from this shloka in modern life?

Fulfill responsibilities conscientiously, then deliberately create time for disciplined spiritual practice—such as daily sādhana, periodic retreats, or pilgrimages—centered on devotion to Nārāyaṇa.