Shloka 6

Uddhava’s Departure to Badarikāśrama and Vidura’s Turn Toward Maitreya

Devanagari script

अद्राक्षमेकमासीनं विचिन्वन् दयितं पतिम् । श्रीनिकेतं सरस्वत्यां कृतकेतमकेतनम् ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

adrākṣam ekam āsīnaṁ vicinvan dayitaṁ patim śrī-niketaṁ sarasvatyāṁ kṛta-ketam aketanam

Translation

Cứ thế theo sau, tìm kiếm vị Chủ và ân nhân yêu dấu, tôi thấy Śrī Kṛṣṇa—Đấng là nơi nương tựa của Nữ thần Śrī—ngồi một mình bên bờ Sarasvatī, chìm trong suy niệm sâu xa.

Synonyms

• अद्राक्षम्: I saw
• अद्राक्षम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; ‘I saw’

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of ‘पतिम्’)

• आसीनम्: seated
• आसीनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु) → आसीन (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle; ‘seated’), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विचिन्वन्: searching
• विचिन्वन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + चि (धातु) → विचिन्वत् (शतृ-प्रत्यय)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘searching’

• दयितम्: beloved
• दयितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दयित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of ‘पतिम्’)

• पतिम्: husband/lord
• पतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• श्रीनिकेतम्: the abode of Śrī (Lakṣmī)
• श्रीनिकेतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + निकेत (प्रातिपदिक); श्रीनिकेत (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (abode of Śrī)

• सरस्वत्याम्: on/at the Sarasvatī (river)
• सरस्वत्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• कृतकेतम्: marked/renowned
• कृतकेतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + केत (प्रातिपदिक); कृतकेत (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (having made a sign/mark; ‘marked/renowned’)

• अकेतनम्: homeless/without abode
• अकेतनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + केतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्-समास/उपसर्ग-युक्त (privative: ‘without a dwelling’)

Purport

Those who are in the renounced order of life often take shelter underneath a tree. The Lord was found by Uddhava in that condition of taking shelter as do persons who have no shelter. Because He is the proprietor of everything, everywhere is His shelter, and everywhere is under His shelter. The entire material and spiritual cosmic manifestation is sustained by Him, and therefore He is the shelter of everything. So there was nothing astonishing in His taking shelter in the way of the unsheltered who are in the renounced order of life.

Characters & Entities

• Vidura
• Uddhava
• Krishna
• Sarasvati

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about devotion in separation (viraha-bhakti)?

This verse portrays Uddhava alone and searching for his beloved Lord, showing that a devotee’s longing for Krishna is itself a powerful, purifying expression of bhakti.

Why did Vidura describe Uddhava as 'śrī-niketa' (abode of fortune)?

Vidura honors Uddhava as spiritually most fortunate—one who carries the Lord’s grace—because his life is centered on Krishna, even while living without worldly shelter.

Practical application of this verse in modern life?

Cultivate sincere remembrance of God even amid loneliness or uncertainty—turn solitude into purposeful spiritual seeking rather than distraction.