Shloka 43

Devanagari script

कलौ न राजन्जगतां परं गुरुं त्रिलोकनाथानतपादपङ्कजम् । प्रायेण मर्त्या भगवन्तमच्युतं यक्ष्यन्ति पाषण्डविभिन्नचेतस: ॥ ४३ ॥

Transliteration

kalau na rājan jagatāṁ paraṁ guruṁ tri-loka-nāthānata-pāda-paṅkajam prāyeṇa martyā bhagavantam acyutaṁ yakṣyanti pāṣaṇḍa-vibhinna-cetasaḥ

Translation

कलौ, राजन्, जगतां परं गुरुं त्रिलोकनाथानतपादपङ्कजम् अच्युतं भगवन्तं प्रायेण मर्त्याः पाषण्डविभिन्नचेतसो न यक्ष्यन्ति।

Synonyms

• कलौ: in Kali (age)
• कलौ: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध/निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negative particle)

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• जगताम्: of the worlds / of beings
• जगताम्: षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective) of ‘गुरुम्’

• गुरुम्: teacher, spiritual master
• गुरुम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• त्रिलोकनाथानतपादपङ्कजम्: whose lotus-feet are bowed to by the lords of the three worlds
• त्रिलोकनाथानतपादपङ्कजम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + लोक + नाथ + आनत + पाद + पङ्कज (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—(त्रिलोकानां नाथाः) तेषां (आनत) नमितानां पादपङ्कजम् = ‘those whose lotus-feet are bowed to by the lords of the three worlds’

• प्रायेण: generally
• प्रायेण: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्राय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb), अर्थः ‘प्रायः’ (generally/mostly)

• मर्त्याः: mortals, people
• मर्त्याः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• भगवन्तम्: the Lord
• भगवन्तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अच्युतम्: Acyuta (the infallible one)
• अच्युतम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); ‘भगवन्तम्’ इति विशेष्यस्य नाम (appositional epithet)

• यक्ष्यन्ति: they will worship/sacrifice to
• यक्ष्यन्ति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पाषण्डविभिन्नचेतसः: whose minds are divided by heretical doctrines
• पाषण्डविभिन्नचेतसः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाषण्ड + विभिन्न + चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—पाषण्डेन विभिन्नं चेतः येषाम् (bahuvrīhi-sense though formed as determinative chain); विशेषण of ‘मर्त्याः’

Purport

The impulse to find the Absolute Truth, the source of all existence, has motivated philosophers, theologians and other intellectuals of various persuasions since time immemorial, and continues to do so today. However, soberly analyzing the ever-increasing plurality of so-called philosophies, religions, paths, ways of life and so on, we find that in almost all cases the ultimate objective is something impersonal or formless. But this idea of an impersonal or formless Absolute Truth has serious logical flaws. According to ordinary rules of logic, a particular effect should directly or indirectly embody the attributes, or nature, of its own cause. Thus that which has no personality or activity could hardly be the source of all personality and all activity.

Characters & Entities

• Parīkṣit Mahārāja
• Acyuta (Śrī Bhagavān)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Kali Yuga people rejecting true worship?

This verse states that in Kali-yuga most people will not worship the Supreme Lord Acyuta, the supreme teacher of all beings, because their minds become divided by irreligious and misleading doctrines.

Why did Shukadeva Gosvami say this to King Parikshit?

Śukadeva is describing the characteristics of Kali-yuga to Parīkṣit, warning him about spiritual decline—especially the tendency to abandon devotion to the Supreme Lord and follow deceptive paths.

Practical application: how can I avoid spiritual confusion in Kali Yuga?

Anchor your practice in bhakti to Acyuta—regular hearing/chanting of the Lord’s names and teachings—so the mind is not fragmented by contradictory, faith-eroding influences.