Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 50

Chapter 90

Devanagari script

मर्त्यस् तयानुसवम् एधितया मुकुन्द-

श्रीमद्-कथा-श्रवण-कीर्तन-चिन्तयैति ।

तद् धाम दुस्तर-कृतान्त-जवापवर्गं

ग्रामाद् वनं क्षिति-भुजोऽपि ययुर् यदर्थाः ॥

Transliteration

martyas tayānusavam edhitayā mukunda $ śrīmat-kathā-śravaṇa-kīrtana-cintayaiti & martyas tayānusavam edhitayā mukunda $ śrīmat-kathā-śravaṇa-kīrtana-cintayaiti & tad dhāma dustara-kṛtānta-javāpavargaṃ % grāmād vanaṃ kṣiti-bhujo 'pi yayur yad-arthāḥ //

Translation

Một phàm nhân, ngày qua ngày càng thêm chuyên cần trong việc nghe, tụng ca và tưởng niệm những câu chuyện vinh quang về Mukunda, sẽ đạt đến thánh cảnh của Ngài—nơi sức lao nhanh của tử thần khó vượt cũng bị chế ngự. Chính vì mục đích ấy mà ngay cả các bậc quân vương cũng rời bỏ làng thành để vào rừng.

Synonyms

• मर्त्यः: a mortal
• मर्त्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तया: by that
• तया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; refers to 'that (devotion/practice)'

• अनुसवम्: continually
• अनुसवम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनुसवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/आवृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: at every moment/continually)

• एधितया: when strengthened / by being increased
• एधितया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एधित (कृदन्त, √एध्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (PPP) used as instrumental: 'when increased/strengthened'

• मुकुन्द-श्रीमद्-कथा-श्रवण-कीर्तन-चिन्तया: by contemplation on hearing and chanting Mukunda’s glorious narrations
• मुकुन्द-श्रीमद्-कथा-श्रवण-कीर्तन-चिन्तया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुकुन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रीमत् (प्रातिपदिक) + कथा (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक) + कीर्तन (प्रातिपदिक) + चिन्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (by contemplation on hearing and chanting the glorious stories of Mukunda)

• एति: goes / attains
• एति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying धाम)

• धाम: abode
• धाम: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दुस्तर-कृतान्त-जव-अपवर्गम्: the liberation beyond death’s irresistible force
• दुस्तर-कृतान्त-जव-अपवर्गम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुस्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + कृतान्त (प्रातिपदिक) + जव (प्रातिपदिक) + अपवर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (liberation from the hard-to-cross speed/force of death)

• ग्रामात्: from the village
• ग्रामात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/ablative), एकवचन

• वनम्: to the forest
• वनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• क्षिति-भुजः: kings
• क्षिति-भुजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षिति (प्रातिपदिक) + भुज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (earth-bearers = kings)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक-अव्यय (particle: even/also)

• ययुः: went
• ययुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• यत्-अर्थाः: having that as their aim
• यत्-अर्थाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (those whose purpose is that)

Purport

This verse praises steady devotional culture as a real deliverance from fear. “Anusavam edhitayā” indicates devotion that grows through consistent practice—daily nourishment by śravaṇa (hearing), kīrtana (chanting), and cintā (deep remembrance). The fruit is not merely peace of mind but entrance into “tad dhāma,” the Lord’s abode—described as the state/place where kṛtānta (death/time’s judgment) cannot drag the soul. The Bhagavatam also validates the ancient Vedic pattern: even powerful kings renounced comfort and political life to seek the highest good. The point is not escapism, but prioritization: when the goal is freedom from death’s tyranny and reunion with God, one willingly reorganizes life around bhakti. In modern terms, the ‘forest’ can mean simplifying life, reducing distractions, and creating protected time for sacred hearing and chanting so that devotion steadily increases and fear of time diminishes.

Characters & Entities

• Mukunda (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
• kṣiti-bhujaḥ (kings/rulers)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say is the best way to overcome fear of death?

This verse teaches that steady hearing, chanting, and remembering Mukunda’s glorious narrations leads to His abode, where death’s power is overcome.

Why does the verse mention kings going from towns to the forest?

It highlights that even rulers abandoned comfort and status to pursue the highest goal—liberation through devotion—showing the supreme value of bhakti.

How can I apply ‘śravaṇa-kīrtana-cintā’ in modern life?

Set a daily rhythm: hear Bhagavatam teachings, chant the Lord’s names, and reflect on Kṛṣṇa-kathā; consistency makes devotion grow and reduces anxiety about time and death.