Shloka 50

Nārada’s Protection of Kayādhu and Prahlāda’s Womb-Instructions: Ātma-tattva and the Path of Bhakti

Devanagari script

देवोऽसुरो मनुष्यो वा यक्षो गन्धर्व एव वा । भजन्मुकुन्दचरणं स्वस्तिमान् स्याद्यथा वयम् ॥ ५० ॥

Transliteration

devo ’suro manuṣyo vā yakṣo gandharva eva vā bhajan mukunda-caraṇaṁ svastimān syād yathā vayam

Translation

Qu’il soit deva, asura, humain, Yakṣa ou Gandharva—celui qui sert les pieds de lotus de Mukunda, dispensateur de délivrance, demeure dans l’état le plus auspice, comme nous.

Synonyms

• देवः: a god
• देवः: कर्ता (Karta; one of alternatives)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• असुरः: a demon
• असुरः: कर्ता (Karta; alternative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• मनुष्यः: a human
• मनुष्यः: कर्ता (Karta; alternative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle ‘or’)

• यक्षः: a yakṣa
• यक्षः: कर्ता (Karta; alternative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• गन्धर्वः: a gandharva
• गन्धर्वः: कर्ता (Karta; alternative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: सम्बन्ध (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle ‘indeed/just’)

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (or)

• भजन्: worshipping/serving
• भजन्: कर्ता (agent of action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; परस्मैपदी

• मुकुन्द-चरणम्: Mukunda’s feet
• मुकुन्द-चरणम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुकुन्द + चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Mukunda’s feet); द्वितीया (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• स्वस्तिमान्: fortunate/auspicious
• स्वस्तिमान्: कर्तृ-विशेषण (predicate of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वस्ति + मतुप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive adjective); प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• स्यात्: would be/may become
• स्यात्: क्रिया (main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• यथा: as
• यथा: सम्बन्ध (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (comparative ‘as/just as’)

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: कर्ता (Karta; standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, बहुवचन, उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम (1st person pronoun)

Purport

Prahlāda Mahārāja, by his living example, requested his friends to engage in devotional service. Whether in demigod society, asura society, human society or Gandharva society, every living entity should take shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda and thus become perfect in good fortune.

Characters & Entities

• Mukunda

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about who is qualified for bhakti?

This verse teaches that any being—deva, asura, human, Yakṣa, or Gandharva—can become truly auspicious by worshiping Mukunda’s feet.

Why did Prahlāda Mahārāja say this to his schoolmates?

Prahlāda instructs the sons of demons that real welfare does not depend on birth or species, but on devotion to Mukunda, which brings true security and auspiciousness.

How can I apply “worshiping Mukunda’s feet” in modern life?

Center daily life on devotion—hearing and chanting God’s names, remembering the Lord, and offering one’s work and choices to Him—seeking inner auspiciousness rather than external status.