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Shloka 2

Gṛhastha-Dharma: How a Householder Attains Liberation by Offering All to Vāsudeva

श्रीनारद उवाच गृहेष्ववस्थितो राजन्क्रिया: कुर्वन्यथोचिता: । वासुदेवार्पणं साक्षादुपासीत महामुनीन् ॥ २ ॥

śrī-nārada uvāca gṛheṣv avasthito rājan kriyāḥ kurvan yathocitāḥ vāsudevārpaṇaṁ sākṣād upāsīta mahā-munīn

ಶ್ರೀ ನಾರದರು ಹೇಳಿದರು—ಹೇ ರಾಜನೇ! ಗೃಹಸ್ಥನು ಯಥೋಚಿತ ಕರ್ಮಗಳನ್ನು ಮಾಡಿ ಜೀವನೋಪಾಯ ನಡೆಸಬೇಕು; ಆದರೆ ಫಲವನ್ನು ತಾನೇ ಭೋಗಿಸದೆ, ಅದನ್ನು ನೇರವಾಗಿ ವಾಸುದೇವ ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣನಿಗೆ ಅರ್ಪಿಸಬೇಕು. ಮಹಾಭಕ್ತರ ಸತ್ಸಂಗದಿಂದ ವಾಸುದೇವೋಪಾಸನೆಯ ತತ್ತ್ವ ಸ್ಪಷ್ಟವಾಗುತ್ತದೆ।

śrī-nāradaḥNārada (honored)
śrī-nāradaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootśrī-nārada (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेष्य-नाम
uvācasaid
uvāca:
Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
TypeVerb
Rootvac (धातु)
Formलिट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
gṛheṣuin the home(s)
gṛheṣu:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
TypeNoun
Rootgṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन
avasthitaḥbeing situated
avasthitaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootava-sthā (धातु) + ta (कृत्)
Formक्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; स्थितः (being situated)
rājanO king
rājan:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
TypeNoun
Rootrājan (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन
kriyāḥduties, actions
kriyāḥ:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootkriyā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन
kurvandoing, performing
kurvan:
Karta (कर्ता/Agent qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootkṛ (धातु) + śatṛ (कृत्)
Formशतृ (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः
yathāas, according to
yathā:
Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyathā (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner)
ucitāḥproper, appropriate
ucitāḥ:
Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootucita (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘कriyāḥ’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्
vāsudeva-arpaṇamoffering to Vāsudeva
vāsudeva-arpaṇam:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootvāsudeva + arpaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; वासुदेवाय अर्पणम् (offering to Vāsudeva)
sākṣātdirectly
sākṣāt:
Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsākṣāt (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; साक्षात् (directly, in person)
upāsītashould worship/serve
upāsīta:
Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
TypeVerb
Rootupa-ās (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन
mahā-munīngreat sages
mahā-munīn:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootmahā + muni (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘great sages’

The format for gṛhastha life should be dedication to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Bhagavad-gītā (6.1) it is said:

N
Nārada
V
Vāsudeva
K
King Yudhiṣṭhira

FAQs

This verse says a householder can stay at home, do proper prescribed duties, and dedicate them to Vāsudeva—especially by directly honoring and serving great sages as recipients of such devotion.

In the context of teaching ideal gṛhastha conduct, Nārada explains that devotion is not limited to renunciation; honoring saintly persons is a direct, practical expression of offering one’s life and duties to Vāsudeva.

Do your responsibilities ethically and conscientiously, and consciously dedicate the results to God—while supporting and learning from genuine sādhus/teachers through service, hospitality, and respectful engagement.