Shloka 1

Uddhava’s Remembrance of Kṛṣṇa and the Theology of the Lord’s Disappearance

Devanagari script

श्री शुक उवाच इति भागवत: पृष्ट: क्षत्‍त्रा वार्तां प्रियाश्रयाम् । प्रतिवक्तुं न चोत्सेह औत्कण्ठ्यात्स्मारितेश्वर: ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca iti bhāgavataḥ pṛṣṭaḥ kṣattrā vārtāṁ priyāśrayām prativaktuṁ na cotseha autkaṇṭhyāt smāriteśvaraḥ

Translation

Śrī Śukadeva dit : Lorsque Vidura interrogea Uddhava, le grand dévot, au sujet des messages du Seigneur bien-aimé, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Uddhava ne put répondre aussitôt, tant l’ardente nostalgie l’envahit au souvenir du Seigneur.

Synonyms

• श्री-शुकः: Śrī Śuka
• श्री-शुकः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (उपपद/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक) + शुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समासः (honorific + name); प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Verb/action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्ध (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; वाक्य-समाप्ति/उद्धरण-सूचक (quotative particle)

• भागवतः: the devotee (Uddhava)
• भागवतः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भागवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• पृष्टः: having been asked
• पृष्टः: विशेषण (adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृष्ट (√प्रच्छ् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, प्रथमा-एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; विशेषणम् (bhāgavataḥ)

• क्षत्रा: by the Kṣatriya (Vidura)
• क्षत्रा: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/तृतीया), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; ‘क्षत्रा’ = by the Kṣatriya (Vidura)

• वार्ताम्: the account/news
• वार्ताम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• प्रिय-आश्रयाम्: dear and comforting (as a refuge)
• प्रिय-आश्रयाम्: विशेषण (adjectival to object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: प्रियस्य आश्रयः/आश्रया (that which is dear as a refuge); द्वितीया-एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग; विशेषणम् (vārttām)

• प्रतिवक्तुम्: to reply
• प्रतिवक्तुम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose/हेतु)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + √वच् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive/तुमन्त), ‘to reply’

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

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• उत्सहे: enthusiasm/ability
• उत्सहे: कर्ता-भाव (as ‘there was no ability/enthusiasm’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्सह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; (पाठभेदः: ‘उत्सहे’ इति प्रथमा-एकवचन-रूपम्)

• औत्कण्ठ्यात्: from anxious longing
• औत्कण्ठ्यात्: अपादान (Cause/Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: औत्कण्ठ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/पञ्चमी), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-प्रयोग; कारणार्थे (cause)

• स्मारित-ईश्वरः: one whose Lord was brought to mind
• स्मारित-ईश्वरः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मारित (√स्मृ धातु, णिच् causative + क्त; कृदन्त) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: स्मारितः ईश्वरः येन/यस्य (one whose Lord was remembered/caused to be remembered); प्रथमा-एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Vidura (Kṣattā)
• Uddhava
• Īśvara (the Supreme Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa)

FAQs

Why was Uddhava unable to reply when Vidura asked about Krishna?

Because remembering the Supreme Lord stirred intense longing (viraha-bhāva) in Uddhava, leaving him too overwhelmed to speak immediately.

Who is the 'Kṣattā' mentioned in Bhagavatam Canto 3?

Kṣattā refers to Vidura, the wise minister of the Kuru dynasty, who inquires from Uddhava about the Lord and His pastimes.

Practical application of this verse in modern life—how can remembrance of Krishna help?

It teaches that sincere remembrance (smaraṇa) of the Lord softens the heart and deepens devotion; daily Krishna-kathā and japa can gradually awaken that absorbent love.