Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 40

Śrī Rāmacandra-avatāra — Vow, Exile, Laṅkā-vijaya, and Rāma-rājya

Concise Bhāgavata Account

Devanagari script

पादुके न्यस्य पुरत: प्राञ्जलिर्बाष्पलोचन: । तमाश्लिष्य चिरं दोर्भ्यां स्‍नापयन् नेत्रजैर्जलै: ॥ ३९ ॥ रामो लक्ष्मणसीताभ्यां विप्रेभ्यो येऽर्हसत्तमा: । तेभ्य: स्वयं नमश्चक्रे प्रजाभिश्च नमस्कृत: ॥ ४० ॥

Transliteration

pāduke nyasya purataḥ prāñjalir bāṣpa-locanaḥ tam āśliṣya ciraṁ dorbhyāṁ snāpayan netrajair jalaiḥ

Translation

Bharata đặt đôi guốc gỗ (pādukā) của Đức Rāmacandra trước mặt, chắp tay đứng yên, mắt đẫm lệ. Đức Rāma ôm Bharata thật lâu bằng cả hai tay và tắm gội cho chàng bằng dòng lệ của Ngài. Rồi cùng với Sītā và Lakṣmaṇa, Ngài kính lễ các bà-la-môn uyên bác và các bậc trưởng thượng trong tộc; toàn thể dân Ayodhyā cũng cúi lạy đấng Chúa tể.

Synonyms

• pāduke: the two sandals
• pāduke: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pādukā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (feminine/स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (accusative/द्वितीया), Dvivacana (dual/द्विवचन)

• nyasya: having placed
• nyasya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni√as (धातु) + ल्यप् (absolutive/क्त्वान्त)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Absolutive (ल्यप्/क्त्वा), meaning ‘having placed’

• purataḥ: in front
• purataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: puratas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable/अव्यय), adverb of place (स्थानवाचक)

• prāñjaliḥ: with folded hands
• prāñjaliḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāñjali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (singular/एकवचन); adjective used substantively ‘with joined palms’

• bāṣpa-locanaḥ: tear-eyed
• bāṣpa-locanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bāṣpa (प्रातिपदिक) + locana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्राय) ‘eyes (locana) with tears (bāṣpa)’

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; pronoun

• āśliṣya: having embraced
• āśliṣya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā√śliṣ (धातु) + ल्यप् (absolutive)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Absolutive (ल्यप्/क्त्वा), ‘having embraced’

• ciram: for a long time
• ciram: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable), adverb of time (कालवाचक)

• dorbhyām: with (his) two arms
• dorbhyām: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dor (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Tṛtīyā (instrumental/तृतीया), Dvivacana; ‘with (two) arms’

• snāpayan: washing (him)
• snāpayan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: snāpay (सणिजन्त causative of √snā/√snai) (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Present active participle (शतृ/शानच्), Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; ‘causing to bathe/washing’

• netrajaiḥ: with (those) from the eyes
• netrajaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: netra (प्रातिपदिक) + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Bahuvacana; Tatpuruṣa ‘born from the eyes’

• jalaiḥ: with waters
• jalaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā, Bahuvacana

• rāmaḥ: Rama
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• lakṣmaṇa-sītābhyām: with Lakshmana and Sita
• lakṣmaṇa-sītābhyām: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva-samāsa; Tṛtīyā (instrumental) / Pañcamī (ablative) Dvivacana; here instrumental sense ‘together with Lakṣmaṇa and Sītā’

• viprebhyaḥ: to the brāhmaṇas
• viprebhyaḥ: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Caturthī (dative/चतुर्थी), Bahuvacana

• ye: who
• ye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; relative pronoun

• arha-sattamāḥ: most worthy
• arha-sattamāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: arha (प्रातिपदिक) + sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; Karmadhāraya ‘the best (sattama) among the worthy (arha)’

• tebhyaḥ: to them
• tebhyaḥ: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Caturthī (dative) / Pañcamī (ablative), Bahuvacana; here dative ‘to them’

• svayam: personally
• svayam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb (स्वयम्)

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; interjection/particle of salutation (नमः)

• cakre: did/made (offered)
• cakre: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (perfect/लिट्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana; Parasmaipada

• prajābhiḥ: by/with the citizens
• prajābhiḥ: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Bahuvacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• namaskṛtaḥ: (he) was saluted
• namaskṛtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: namas + √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Past passive participle (क्त), Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; ‘having been saluted’

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Rāma
• Bharata
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Sītā
• brāhmaṇas
• citizens (prajā)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Bharata’s devotion to Lord Rama?

This verse shows Bharata’s intense bhakti: he places Rama’s sandals before him, folds his hands, embraces Rama, and his tears become an offering—revealing devotion expressed through humility and heartfelt emotion.

Why did Lord Rama offer obeisances to the brāhmaṇas in this chapter?

Rama demonstrates maryādā (ideal conduct): honoring the most worthy brāhmaṇas and accepting the citizens’ respect, showing that true leadership is grounded in dharma and reverence for spiritual authority.

How can this shloka be applied in modern life?

Practice humility and gratitude: respect spiritually mature people, honor teachers and elders, and let devotion be expressed through sincere service and heartfelt prayer rather than mere formality.