Shloka 19

Karmic Aspirations, Demigod Worship, and the Supreme Duty of Bhakti

Hari-kathā as Life’s True Gain

Devanagari script

श्वविड्‍वराहोष्ट्रखरै: संस्तुत: पुरुष: पशु: । न यत्कर्णपथोपेतो जातु नाम गदाग्रज: ॥ १९ ॥

Transliteration

śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ na yat-karṇa-pathopeto jātu nāma gadāgrajaḥ

Translation

ผู้คนดุจสุนัข หมู อูฐ และลา ย่อมสรรเสริญมนุษย์ผู้เป็นดั่งสัตว์ ผู้ไม่เคยให้พระนามและลีลาของพระศรีกฤษณะ ผู้เป็นกดากรชะ ผ่านเข้าสู่ทางหูเลย

Synonyms

• श्व-विड्-वराह-उष्ट्र-खरैः: by dogs, hogs, camels and asses (and the like)
• श्व-विड्-वराह-उष्ट्र-खरैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वन् (प्रातिपदिक) + विड् (प्रातिपदिक) + वराह (प्रातिपदिक) + उष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक) + खर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः: ‘श्वानश्च विडश्च...’), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• संस्तुतः: praised
• संस्तुतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-स्तु (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘प्रशंसितः’

• पुरुषः: a man
• पुरुषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पशुः: an animal (beast)
• पशुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपमान/विशेष्यभावे

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/neg.)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध

• यत्-कर्‍ण-पथ-उपेतः: whose name has not reached the ear-path (i.e., been heard)
• यत्-कर्‍ण-पथ-उपेतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + पथ (प्रातिपदिक) + उप-इ (धातु)
• Form: समास: (1) कर्णपथ = षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘कर्णस्य पथः’); (2) यत्कर्णपथोपेतः = तत्पुरुष (‘यस्य कर्णपथम् उपेतः/प्राप्तः’); उपेतः = क्त (PPP) पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• जातु: ever
• जातु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जातु (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb) ‘कदाचित्/ever’

• नाम: indeed / (his) name
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), ‘indeed/just’ अथवा नामशब्दार्थे बलवर्धक

• गदाग्रजः: Gadāgraja (a name of the Lord)
• गदाग्रजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्रज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘गदायाः अग्रजः’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विष्णोर्नाम

Purport

The general mass of people, unless they are trained systematically for a higher standard of life in spiritual values, are no better than animals, and in this verse they have particularly been put on the level of dogs, hogs, camels and asses. Modern university education practically prepares one to acquire a doggish mentality with which to accept the service of a greater master. After finishing a so-called education, the so-called educated persons move like dogs from door to door with applications for some service, and mostly they are driven away, informed of no vacancy. As dogs are negligible animals and serve the master faithfully for bits of bread, a man serves a master faithfully without sufficient rewards.

Characters & Entities

• Gadāgraja (Balarāma)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about the importance of hearing the holy name?

This verse teaches that real human dignity begins when the Lord’s name enters one’s ears; without hearing His name, even social praise is compared to animal admiration and has no spiritual value.

Why did Śukadeva Gosvāmī speak so strongly about being praised by “dogs, hogs, camels, and asses”?

Śukadeva emphasizes to Parīkṣit Mahārāja that worldly acclaim from materially minded people is meaningless if it is not connected to hearing and glorifying the Supreme Lord.

How can I apply Bhagavatam 2.3.19 in modern life?

Choose daily śravaṇam—listen to Bhagavatam, kīrtana, or the Lord’s names—and measure success by growth in devotion rather than by social approval or online praise.