Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 44

The Forest of Material Existence (Saṁsāra-vana) and the Delivering Path of Bharata’s Teachings

Devanagari script

यो दुस्त्यजान् क्षितिसुतस्वजनार्थदारान्प्रार्थ्यां श्रियं सुरवरै: सदयावलोकाम् । नैच्छन्नृपस्तदुचितं महतां मधुद्विट-सेवानुरक्तमनसामभवोऽपि फल्गु: ॥ ४४ ॥

Transliteration

yo dustyajān kṣiti-suta-svajanārtha-dārān prārthyāṁ śriyaṁ sura-varaiḥ sadayāvalokām naicchan nṛpas tad-ucitaṁ mahatāṁ madhudviṭ- sevānurakta-manasām abhavo ’pi phalguḥ

Translation

ข้าแต่พระราชา ภรตมหาราชทรงสละราชอาณาจักร พระมเหสี วงศ์ญาติ และศรีสมบัติที่แม้เทวะยังริษยา; เพราะผู้มีใจผูกพันต่อการรับใช้มธุทฺวิทฺ (กฤษณะ) เห็นแม้ภพและสุขโลกีย์เป็นสิ่งเล็กน้อย

Synonyms

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun

• dustyajān: hard-to-give-up
• dustyajān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dus-tyaja (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; त्यज् धातु)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural (बहुवचन); शतृ (present active participle) used adjectivally

• kṣiti-suta-svajana-artha-dārān: sons, kinsmen, wealth, and wives
• kṣiti-suta-svajana-artha-dārān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣiti (प्रातिपदिक) + suta (प्रातिपदिक) + svajana (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + dāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural (बहुवचन); multi-member dvandva/collection: ‘sons, relatives, wealth, wives’ (kṣiti-suta = ‘sons of the earth’ i.e., princes/sons)

• prārthyām: desirable/to be sought
• prārthyām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prārthya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; प्र+अर्थ्/अर्थय् धातु)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); gerundive (तव्यत्/यत्) ‘to be sought’

• śriyam: fortune/prosperity
• śriyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• sura-varaiḥ: by the best of the gods
• sura-varaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक) + vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन); karmadhāraya ‘best of the gods’

• sadayā-avalokām: with compassionate glance
• sadayā-avalokām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa-dayā (प्रातिपदिक) + avaloka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); karmadhāraya ‘having compassionate glance’

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• aicchat: desired
• aicchat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (धातु: √इष् इच्छति)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada; with na → na aicchat = ‘did not desire’

• nṛpaḥ: the king
• nṛpaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• tat-ucitam: that which was proper
• tat-ucitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + ucita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa ‘befitting that/for him’

• mahatām: of the great (souls)
• mahatām: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन)

• madhudviṭ-sevā-anurakta-manasām: of those whose minds are devoted to serving Madhudviṭ (Viṣṇu)
• madhudviṭ-sevā-anurakta-manasām: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhu-dviṭ (प्रातिपदिक; ‘slayer of Madhu’ = Viṣṇu) + sevā (प्रातिपदिक) + anurakta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; रञ्ज् धातु) + manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa chain: ‘of those whose minds are attached to service of Madhudviṭ’

• abhavaḥ: absence (of desire)
• abhavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-bhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); ‘non-existence/lack’

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) meaning ‘even/also’

• phalguḥ: insignificant/trifling
• phalguḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: phalgu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective

Purport

This verse confirms Kṛṣṇa’s all-attractiveness. Mahārāja Bharata was so attracted to Kṛṣṇa that he gave up all his material possessions. Generally materialistic people are attracted by such possessions.

Characters & Entities

• Madhudviṭ (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
• Śrī (Lakṣmī-devī)
• sura-vara (demigods)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam 5.14.44 say about renunciation and devotion to Krishna?

It teaches that a devotee whose mind is attached to serving Kṛṣṇa naturally gives up attachment to land, family, wealth, and even the desire for liberation, considering them insignificant compared to bhakti.

Who is speaking in Bhagavatam Canto 5 Chapter 14, and to whom is this teaching given?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī speaks these teachings to Mahārāja Parīkṣit as part of the allegory describing the soul’s entanglement in the material world and the supremacy of devotion.

How can I apply the message of Bhagavatam 5.14.44 in modern life?

Prioritize steady devotional practice and service to Kṛṣṇa; then possessions and relationships can be honored responsibly without becoming sources of bondage, and spiritual goals become centered on loving service rather than mere escape.