Shloka 4

Nārāyaṇa’s Impartiality, Absorption in Kṛṣṇa, and the Jaya–Vijaya Descent

Prelude to Prahlāda’s History

Devanagari script

श्रीऋषिरुवाच साधु पृष्टं महाराज हरेश्चरितमद्भ‍ुतम् । यद् भागवतमाहात्म्यं भगवद्भ‍क्तिवर्धनम् ॥ ४ ॥ गीयते परमं पुण्यमृषिभिर्नारदादिभि: । नत्वा कृष्णाय मुनये कथयिष्ये हरे: कथाम् ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-ṛṣir uvāca sādhu pṛṣṭaṁ mahārāja hareś caritam adbhutam yad bhāgavata-māhātmyaṁ bhagavad-bhakti-vardhanam

Translation

ஸ்ரீऋஷி கூறினார்—மகாராஜா, நீ மிகச் சிறந்த கேள்வியை எழுப்பினாய்; ஹரியின் அதிசய லீலைகளும் ஸ்ரீமத் பாகவதத்தின் மகிமையும் பகவத்-பக்தியை வளர்க்கும். இந்த பரம புண்ணியத்தை நாரதாதி முனிவர்கள் பாடுகின்றனர்; கிருஷ்ணத்வைபாயன வ்யாச முனிவருக்கு வணங்கி இப்போது ஹரி-கதையை உரைப்பேன்।

Synonyms

• श्री-ऋषिः: the venerable sage
• श्री-ऋषिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (honorific epithet)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• साधु: well; rightly
• साधु: Visheshana (विशेषण/Adverbial qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रशंसार्थक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of approval)

• पृष्टम्: asked
• पृष्टम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु) → पृष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (elliptic: ‘it has been asked’)

• महा-राज: O great king
• महा-राज: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय

• हरेः: of Hari
• हरेः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Possessive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• चरितम्: deeds; pastimes
• चरितम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित (प्रातिपदिक; from चर् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अद्भुतम्: wonderful
• अद्भुतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying चरितम्)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• भागवत-माहात्म्यम्: the glory of the Bhāgavata
• भागवत-माहात्म्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भागवत + माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘of the Bhāgavata’)

• भगवत्-भक्ति-वर्धनम्: that increases devotion to the Lord
• भगवत्-भक्ति-वर्धनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत् + भक्ति + वर्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (object-relation: ‘that which increases devotion to Bhagavān’); विशेषणम् (qualifying माहात्म्यम्)

Purport

In this verse Śukadeva Gosvāmī offers his respectful obeisances kṛṣṇāya munaye, which means to Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa. One must first offer one’s respectful obeisances to one’s spiritual master. Śukadeva Gosvāmī’s spiritual master is his father, Vyāsadeva, and therefore he first offers his respectful obeisances to Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa and then begins describing topics of Lord Hari.

Characters & Entities

• Mahārāja Parīkṣit
• Hari

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the benefit of hearing Hari-katha?

This verse states that the Bhāgavatam’s glory lies in increasing devotion to the Lord; hearing Hari’s wondrous pastimes nourishes bhakti.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī praise Parīkṣit Mahārāja’s question here?

Because Parīkṣit’s inquiry centers on Hari’s adbhuta-carita and the Bhāgavatam’s māhātmya—topics that directly awaken and expand pure devotion.

How can this teaching be applied in modern life?

Prioritize regular śravaṇa (hearing) of Bhāgavatam and Hari-kathā, since devotion grows by consistently engaging the mind and heart in the Lord’s narrations.