Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 51

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

Devanagari script

नालं द्विजत्वं देवत्वमृषित्वं वासुरात्मजा: । प्रीणनाय मुकुन्दस्य न वृत्तं न बहुज्ञता ॥ ५१ ॥ न दानं न तपो नेज्या न शौचं न व्रतानि च । प्रीयतेऽमलया भक्त्या हरिरन्यद् विडम्बनम् ॥ ५२ ॥

Transliteration

nālaṁ dvijatvaṁ devatvam ṛṣitvaṁ vāsurātmajāḥ prīṇanāya mukundasya na vṛttaṁ na bahu-jñatā

Translation

Ô fils des asuras ! On ne réjouit pas Mukunda en devenant brāhmaṇa parfait, deva ou grand ṛṣi; ni par la bienséance ou un vaste savoir. Ni par la charité, l’austérité, le sacrifice, la pureté ou les vœux. Śrī Hari n’est satisfait que par une bhakti pure et inébranlable; sans dévotion sincère, tout le reste n’est que mise en scène.

Synonyms

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• अलम्: enough/adequate
• अलम्: सम्बन्ध (predicate particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अलम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पर्याप्त्यर्थक (sufficiency ‘enough/adequate’)

• द्विजत्वम्: brahminhood
• द्विजत्वम्: कर्ता/कर्म (as item in list; ‘is not sufficient’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc. same form), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; भाववाचक (abstract noun)

• देवत्वम्: godhood
• देवत्वम्: कर्ता/कर्म (listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; भाववाचक

• ऋषित्वम्: sainthood/ṛṣi-status
• ऋषित्वम्: कर्ता/कर्म (listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषित्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; भाववाचक

• वासुर-आत्मजाः: O sons of Vāsura (Daityas)
• वासुर-आत्मजाः: सम्बोधन (Address/Vocative sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुर + आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (sons of Vāsura); प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; संबोधनार्थे प्रयोगः (addressing)

• प्रीणनाय: for pleasing
• प्रीणनाय: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Dative of purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीणन (प्रातिपदिक; प्रीण्-धातु (धातु) ल्युट्/अन-प्रत्ययान्त भाव/क्रिया-नाम)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/चतुर्थी), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रयोजन (purpose)

• मुकुन्दस्य: of Mukunda
• मुकुन्दस्य: सम्बन्ध (genitive; ‘of Mukunda’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुकुन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

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

• वृत्तम्: conduct/behavior
• वृत्तम्: कर्ता/कर्म (listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; आचार/वृत्ति (conduct)

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

• बहु-ज्ञता: much learning/erudition
• बहु-ज्ञता: कर्ता/कर्म (listed item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु + ज्ञता (प्रातिपदिक; ज्ञा-धातु (धातु) क्त-प्रत्ययान्त/भाव)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (bahu-jñatā ‘much-knowingness’); प्रथमा, एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग; भाववाचक

Purport

Prahlāda Mahārāja concludes that one can become perfect by serving the Supreme Lord sincerely by all means. Material elevation to life as a brāhmaṇa, demigod, ṛṣi and so on are not causes for developing love of Godhead, but if one sincerely engages in the service of the Lord, his Kṛṣṇa consciousness is complete. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (9.30) :

Characters & Entities

• Mukunda
• Hari
• Prahlada Maharaja

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about what truly pleases Mukunda?

This verse says that status (brāhmaṇa, demigod, or sage), good conduct, and even great learning are not sufficient by themselves to please Mukunda; devotion is the essential principle.

Why did Prahlada Maharaja say this to the sons of demons?

Prahlāda was teaching his schoolmates that spiritual success is not based on birth, rank, or scholarship—values prized in worldly society—but on sincere devotion to Hari.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Do not rely only on credentials, morality, or information; cultivate heartfelt bhakti—remembering, serving, and honoring God with sincerity.