Shloka 1

Parīkṣit’s Inquiry into Vṛtrāsura’s Bhakti and the Beginning of Citraketu’s Trial

Devanagari script

श्रीपरीक्षिदुवाच रजस्तम:स्वभावस्य ब्रह्मन् वृत्रस्य पाप्मन: । नारायणे भगवति कथमासीद् दृढा मति: ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-parīkṣid uvāca rajas-tamaḥ-svabhāvasya brahman vṛtrasya pāpmanaḥ nārāyaṇe bhagavati katham āsīd dṛḍhā matiḥ

Translation

ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਪਰীক্ষਿਤ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ—ਹੇ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣ! ਰਜੋ-ਤਮੋ ਸੁਭਾਵ ਵਾਲੇ ਪਾਪੀ ਵ੍ਰਿਤ੍ਰਾਸੁਰ ਦੀ ਭਗਵਾਨ ਨਾਰਾਇਣ ਵਿੱਚ ਐਨੀ ਦ੍ਰਿੜ੍ਹ ਭਕਤੀ-ਮਤਿ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਬਣੀ?

Synonyms

• śrī-parīkṣit: Śrī Parīkṣit
• śrī-parīkṣit: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī + parīkṣit (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; proper name with honorific śrī

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

• rajas-tamaḥ-svabhāvasya: of (one) of rajasic-tamasic nature
• rajas-tamaḥ-svabhāvasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajas + tamaḥ + svabhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular; dvandva ‘rajas and tamas’ + svabhāva: ‘of one whose nature is rajas and tamas’

• brahman: O brāhmaṇa
• brahman: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (सम्बोधन), Singular; address to a brāhmaṇa/sage

• vṛtrasya: of Vṛtra
• vṛtrasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛtra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• pāpmanaḥ: of the sinful one
• pāpmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• nārāyaṇe: in/unto Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular

• bhagavati: in the Lord
• bhagavati: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular; apposition to nārāyaṇe

• katham: how
• katham: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative adverb (प्रश्न-क्रियाविशेषण)

• āsīt: was
• āsīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person, Singular; Parasmaipada

• dṛḍhā: firm
• dṛḍhā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dṛḍha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with matiḥ

• matiḥ: thought/mind; devotion-intent
• matiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Purport

In this material world, everyone is obsessed with the modes of passion and ignorance. However, unless one conquers these modes and comes to the platform of goodness, there is no chance of one’s becoming a pure devotee. This is confirmed by Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself in Bhagavad-gītā (7.28) :

Characters & Entities

• Parīkṣit
• Vṛtrāsura
• Nārāyaṇa

FAQs

How can someone with rajas and tamas develop pure devotion according to Srimad Bhagavatam?

This verse raises the core teaching that bhakti to Nārāyaṇa can arise even in a person apparently dominated by passion and ignorance, prompting the narration of how devotion can transcend material qualities.

Why does King Parikshit ask about Vritrasura’s devotion to Narayana?

Because Vṛtrāsura is known as sinful and materially conditioned, yet he displayed unwavering God-centered resolve; Parīkṣit asks the sage to explain the spiritual cause behind this surprising transformation.

What is the practical lesson of this shloka for modern life?

Do not judge spiritual potential by past faults or temperament; sincere turning toward the Lord can make devotion firm even when one struggles with lower modes.