Shloka 35

The Freed Kings Glorify Kṛṣṇa; Instruction on Kingship, Detachment, and Remembrance

Devanagari script

निशम्य धर्मराजस्तत् केशवेनानुकम्पितम् । आनन्दाश्रुकलां मुञ्चन् प्रेम्णा नोवाच किञ्चन ॥ ३५ ॥

Transliteration

niśamya dharma-rājas tat keśavenānukampitam ānandāśru-kalāṁ muñcan premṇā novāca kiñcana

Translation

അത് കേട്ട ധർമ്മരാജ യുധിഷ്ഠിരൻ കേശവന്റെ കരുണയിൽ ദ്രവിച്ച് ആനന്ദാശ്രു ചൊരിഞ്ഞു; പ്രേമം മൂലം ഒന്നും പറയാൻ കഴിഞ്ഞില്ല।

Synonyms

• niśamya: having heard
• niśamya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ni-śam (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त अव्यय), from √śam with prefix ni-; sense: having heard

• dharma-rājaḥ: King Dharma (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• dharma-rājaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + rāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: ‘king of dharma’ (Yudhiṣṭhira)

• tat: that (act/word)
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; demonstrative pronoun

• keśavena: by Keśava (Krishna)
• keśavena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: keśava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• anukampitam: compassionately done / shown mercy
• anukampitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anu-kamp (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; agrees with tat

• ānanda-aśru-kalām: a stream/portion of joyful tears
• ānanda-aśru-kalām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ānanda (प्रातिपदिक) + aśru (प्रातिपदिक) + kalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; tatpuruṣa chain: ‘a portion/stream (kalā) of tears (aśru) of joy (ānanda)’

• muñcan: releasing / shedding
• muñcan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muc (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; agrees with dharma-rājaḥ

• premṇā: out of love
• premṇā: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: preman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• kiñcana: anything
• kiñcana: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kiñcana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; indefinite pronoun used with negation

Purport

Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Tenth Canto, Seventy-third Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “Lord Kṛṣṇa Blesses the Liberated Kings.”

Characters & Entities

• Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Keśava (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)

FAQs

Why did Yudhiṣṭhira become silent and shed tears after hearing Keśava?

Because Kṛṣṇa’s compassionate words awakened intense prema in him, and the emotion of devotion manifested as tears of bliss, leaving him unable to speak.

What does this verse teach about the signs of genuine bhakti in Srimad Bhagavatam?

It shows that true devotion is not merely intellectual—when touched by Kṛṣṇa’s mercy, the heart melts, and love may naturally express itself through joyful tears and speechlessness.

How can a devotee apply the lesson of Bhagavatam 10.73.35 in modern life?

By cultivating humility and receptivity to divine grace—hearing about Kṛṣṇa with sincerity—so that devotion becomes heartfelt, not performative, and transforms one’s inner life.