Shloka 36

Kṛṣṇa Kills Dantavakra; Balarāma’s Pilgrimage and the Slaying of Romaharṣaṇa

Devanagari script

श्रीभगवानुवाच आत्मा वै पुत्र उत्पन्न इति वेदानुशासनम् । तस्मादस्य भवेद्वक्ता आयुरिन्द्रियसत्त्ववान् ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-bhagavān uvāca ātmā vai putra utpanna iti vedānuśāsanam tasmād asya bhaved vaktā āyur-indriya-sattva-vān

Translation

พระผู้มีพระภาคเจ้าตรัสว่า: พระเวทสอนเราว่าตัวตนของคนเราจะถือกำเนิดใหม่เป็นบุตรชายของตน ดังนั้น ขอให้บุตรชายของโรมหรรษณะเป็นผู้กล่าวปุราณะ และขอให้เขาเพียบพร้อมด้วยอายุขัยที่ยืนยาว ประสาทสัมผัสที่แข็งแกร่ง และพละกำลัง

Synonyms

• śrī-bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• śrī-bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī-bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• ātmā: the self
• ātmā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle/emphasis (निपात)

• putraḥ: a son
• putraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• utpannaḥ: born, arisen
• utpannaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ut√pad (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with putraḥ

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha/Quotation marker (उद्धरणसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात)

• veda-anuśāsanam: the Vedic injunction
• veda-anuśāsanam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + anuśāsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: vedānām anuśāsanam

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablatival adverb (तस्मात्-निपातवत्/हेतौ), ‘therefore/from that’

• asya: of him/of this
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhavet: should be
• bhavet: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• vaktā: the speaker/one who declares
• vaktā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vac (धातु) + tṛ (तृन्)
• Form: Agent noun (तृन्-कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• āyuḥ-indriya-sattva-vān: possessing life-span, senses, and vital strength
• āyuḥ-indriya-sattva-vān: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āyus (प्रातिपदिक) + indriya (प्रातिपदिक) + sattva (प्रातिपदिक) + -vant (वत्)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); बहुव्रीहि: ‘yasya āyuḥ indriyāṇi sattvaṁ ca santi saḥ’

Purport

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī quotes the following Vedic verse to illustrate the principle enunciated here by Lord Balarāma:

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about a son’s duty (putra-dharma)?

This verse states that the Vedas regard the son as one’s own self, and therefore he should act as the father’s spokesperson/representative, provided he is capable and sound in vitality and senses.

Why does Lord Krishna cite Vedic injunctions in this verse?

Kṛṣṇa grounds the immediate situation in śāstric authority, showing that proper conduct (dharma) should be aligned with Vedic ordinance, especially in matters of social and familial responsibility.

How can this teaching be applied in modern life?

One can honor elders and family responsibilities by acting as a trustworthy representative—speaking and acting with competence, clarity, and integrity rather than impulse.