Shloka 1

Kṛṣṇa Enters Mathurā: City Splendor, Devotees’ Reception, and the Washerman’s Fate

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच स्तुवतस्तस्य भगवान् दर्शयित्वा जले वपु: । भूय: समाहरत् कृष्णो नटो नाट्यमिवात्मन: ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca stuvatas tasya bhagavān darśayitvā jale vapuḥ bhūyaḥ samāharat kṛṣṇo naṭo nāṭyam ivātmanaḥ

Translation

Śukadeva nói: Khi Akrūra còn đang dâng lời tán tụng, Đức Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa liền thu lại hình tướng Ngài đã hiển lộ trong nước, như diễn viên khép lại màn diễn của mình.

Synonyms

• śrī-śukaḥ: Śrī Śuka
• śrī-śukaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) of uvāca
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + śuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; कर्मधारय: śrīmān śukaḥ = ‘revered Śuka’

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच्, धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular

• stuvataḥ: of the one who was praising
• stuvataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) with tasya
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √stu (स्तु, धातु) + stuvat (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; Masculine/Neuter; ‘of (him/them) praising’

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; Masculine/Neuter

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता) of darśayitvā/samāharat
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• darśayitvā: having shown
• darśayitvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश्, धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), causative sense ‘having shown’ (णिच् implied)

• jale: in the water
• jale: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• vapuḥ: his form/body
• vapuḥ: Karma (कर्म) of darśayitvā
• Type: Noun
• Root: vapus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• bhūyaḥ: again
• bhūyaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhūyas (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय)

• samāharat: withdrew; drew back
• samāharat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√hṛ (हृ, धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (Imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular

• kṛṣṇaḥ: Kṛṣṇa
• kṛṣṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; apposition to bhagavān

• naṭaḥ: an actor
• naṭaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (appositional)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; predicate/apposition

• nāṭyam: a performance; drama
• nāṭyam: Karma (कर्म) of (implied) samāharat
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāṭya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• iva: like
• iva: Upamāna-marker (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle of comparison (उपमावाचक अव्यय)

• ātmanaḥ: of himself
• ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; reflexive sense

Purport

Lord Kṛṣṇa withdrew from Akrūra’s sight the Viṣṇu form along with the vision of the spiritual sky and its eternal inhabitants.

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna revealing Himself to a devotee?

This verse shows that Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa can grant direct darśana—revealing His form—when a devotee offers heartfelt praises, and He may also withdraw that vision according to His divine will.

Why does the Bhagavatam compare Krishna to an actor (naṭa)?

The comparison highlights līlā: Kṛṣṇa freely manifests and withdraws His visible form, just as an actor displays and then concludes a performance, remaining always in full control.

How can a modern devotee apply this teaching in daily life?

Practice steady devotion without entitlement—offer sincere prayers and service, and accept both moments of spiritual clarity and apparent withdrawal as part of Kṛṣṇa’s purposeful guidance.