Shloka 58

Arjuna Marries Subhadrā; Kṛṣṇa Honors Two Devotees in Mithilā (Śrutadeva and Bahulāśva)

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच स इत्थं प्रभुनादिष्ट: सहकृष्णान् द्विजोत्तमान् । आराध्यैकात्मभावेन मैथिलश्चाप सद्गतिम् ॥ ५८ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca sa itthaṁ prabhunādiṣṭaḥ saha-kṛṣṇān dvijottamān ārādhyaikātma-bhāvena maithilaś cāpa sad-gatim

Translation

श्रीशुक म्हणाले—प्रभूची अशी आज्ञा मिळाल्यावर श्रुतदेवाने एकनिष्ठ भावाने श्रीकृष्णासह श्रेष्ठ द्विजांची आराधना केली; आणि मैथिल राजा बहुलाश्वानेही तसेच केले. अशा रीतीने दोघांनाही परम सद्गती प्राप्त झाली।

Synonyms

• श्री-शुकः: Śrī Śuka
• श्री-शुकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + शुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन; समास: श्रीमान् शुकः (कर्मधारय)

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

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन

• इत्थम्: thus
• इत्थम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (in this manner)

• प्रभुना: by the Lord/master
• प्रभुना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instr.), एकवचन

• आदिष्टः: instructed
• आदिष्टः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दिश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having been instructed/ordered’

• सह-कृष्णान्: along with Kṛṣṇa (and his companions)
• सह-कृष्णान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सह (अव्यय) + कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc.), बहुवचन; अव्ययीभाव: सह कृष्णैः (with Kṛṣṇa) used adjectivally for the group

• द्विजोत्तमान्: the best of the brāhmaṇas
• द्विजोत्तमान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc.), बहुवचन; समास: द्विजानाम् उत्तमाः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• आराध्य: having worshipped
• आराध्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + राध् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष (gerund/absolutive), ‘having worshipped’

• एकात्म-भावेन: with single-minded devotion
• एकात्म-भावेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instr.), एकवचन; समास: एकस्य आत्मा (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष) + भावः; अर्थ: ‘with single-mindedness/oneness of self’

• मैथिलः: the Maithila (Janaka)
• मैथिलः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैथिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction ‘and’)

• आप: attained
• आप: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect) / लुङ्-रूपवत् प्राचीनप्रयोग; प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; ‘he attained’

• सत्-गतिम्: the supreme/holy destination
• सत्-गतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: सती गतिः (true/holy destination)

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Kṛṣṇa
• Maithila (King Janaka)
• dvijottamāḥ (foremost brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

How does the Srimad Bhagavatam describe the way to attain moksha through devotion?

This verse states that by worshiping the Lord and His exalted devotees with eka-ātma-bhāva—single-minded, undivided devotion—one attains sat-gati, the supreme auspicious destination.

Why did King Janaka (Maithila) worship the brāhmaṇas along with Krishna?

Because the Lord instructed him to do so; following the Lord’s order, Janaka honored the foremost brāhmaṇas in Kṛṣṇa’s presence, showing that devotion includes reverence and service to saintly devotees.

What is a practical application of 'eka-atma-bhava' in modern life?

Practice focused devotion: keep one primary spiritual aim, serve sincere devotees, and perform worship or service consistently without divided motives—making devotion the center of daily choices.