Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 36

Bhakti as the Easy and Supreme Yoga: Seeing Kṛṣṇa in All and Uddhava’s Departure to Badarikāśrama

Devanagari script

विष्टभ्य चित्तं प्रणयावघूर्णं धैर्येण राजन् बहु मन्यमान: । कृताञ्जलि: प्राह यदुप्रवीरं शीर्ष्णा स्पृशंस्तच्चरणारविन्दम् ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

viṣṭabhya cittaṁ praṇayāvaghūrṇaṁ dhairyeṇa rājan bahu-manyamānaḥ kṛtāñjaliḥ prāha yadu-pravīraṁ śīrṣṇā spṛśaṁs tac-caraṇāravindam

Translation

ข้าแต่พระราชา! อุทธวะประคองจิตที่ถูกความรักพัดพาให้หวั่นไหวด้วยความมั่นคง และสำนึกพระคุณอย่างยิ่งต่อพระศรีกฤษณะ วีรบุรุษสูงสุดแห่งวงศ์ยทุ เขาพนมมือ ก้มศีรษะสัมผัสพระบาทดุจดอกบัว แล้วจึงกล่าวขึ้น

Synonyms

• viṣṭabhya: having steadied
• viṣṭabhya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vi+√stambh (स्तम्भ् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund)

• cittam: the mind
• cittam: Karma (कर्म/Object of viṣṭabhya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• praṇaya-avaghūrṇam: agitated by affection
• praṇaya-avaghūrṇam: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: praṇaya (प्रातिपदिक) + avaghūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'प्रणयेन अवघूर्णम्' (whirling due to affection) इति तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः

• dhairyeṇa: by firmness
• dhairyeṇa: Karaṇa (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhairya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• rājan: O King
• rājan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• bahu: greatly
• bahu: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bahu (अव्यय/विशेषण)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: greatly)

• manyamānaḥ: thinking / considering
• manyamānaḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √man (मन् धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शानच् (present middle participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kṛta-añjaliḥ: with joined palms
• kṛta-añjaliḥ: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त, √kṛ/कृ धातु) + añjali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'अञ्जलिः कृतः' (hands joined)

• prāha: said
• prāha: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra+√ah (अह् धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• yadu-pravīram: the foremost hero of the Yadus (Kṛṣṇa)
• yadu-pravīram: Karma (कर्म/Object of prāha—addressed/mentioned)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yadu (प्रातिपदिक) + pravīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'यदूनां प्रवीरम्' (best hero of the Yadus) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• śīrṣṇā: with (his) head
• śīrṣṇā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śīrṣan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (instrumental: with the head)

• spṛśan: touching
• spṛśan: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √spṛś (स्पृश् धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tat-caraṇa-aravindam: his lotus feet
• tat-caraṇa-aravindam: Karma (कर्म/Object of spṛśan)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + caraṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + aravinda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'तस्य चरणारविन्दम्' (his lotus feet) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

Purport

According to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, the fear of separation from Lord Kṛṣṇa was continually entering the mind of Śrī Uddhava, and thus he tried to maintain his enthusiasm by remembering the Lord’s great kindness upon him. He steadied his mind with feelings of gratitude toward the Lord.

Characters & Entities

• King Parīkṣit
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Uddhava

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about approaching Krishna with humility?

This verse shows the devotee steadying the mind, feeling deep loving emotion, and approaching Śrī Kṛṣṇa with folded hands, considering oneself insignificant and bowing to His lotus feet.

Why did Uddhava touch Krishna’s lotus feet with his head in Canto 11?

Uddhava’s gesture expresses complete surrender and reverence at the moment of receiving (and responding to) the Lord’s final instructions, showing devotion beyond mere intellectual understanding.

Practical application of steadiness and surrender from this shloka in modern life?

When emotions surge, first steady the mind with patience, then act from humility—offer respect, listen carefully to higher guidance, and let devotion shape your decisions rather than agitation.