Shloka 6

The Greatness of Śrī Rādhāṣṭamī

Rādhā’s Birth-Eighth Observance

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । राधाजन्माष्टमीं वत्स शृणुष्व सुसमाहितः । कथयामि समासेन समग्रं हरिणा विना

Transliteration

brahmovāca | rādhājanmāṣṭamīṃ vatsa śṛṇuṣva susamāhitaḥ | kathayāmi samāsena samagraṃ hariṇā vinā

Translation

Brahmā phán: “Này con, hãy lắng nghe với tâm chuyên nhất về ngày Aṣṭamī thiêng liêng, ngày đản sinh của Śrī Rādhā (Rādhāṣṭamī). Ta sẽ thuật lại vắn tắt mà trọn vẹn, không bỏ sót Hari.”

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• राधा-जनम-अष्टमीम्: Rādhā’s birth-octave (Rādhāṣṭamī)
• राधा-जनम-अष्टमीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राधा (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (राधायाः जन्म-अष्टमी)

• वत्स: dear child
• वत्स: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• शृणुष्व: listen
• शृणुष्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• सु-समाहितः: well-attentive, composed
• सु-समाहितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + समाहित (कृदन्त; सम्-आ-धा धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘समाहित’ = well-collected/attentive

• कथयामि: I narrate
• कथयामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु; णिजन्त)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• समासेन: briefly
• समासेन: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण प्रयुक्तम्) ‘briefly/in summary’ (adverbial instrumental usage)

• समग्रम्: entire, complete
• समग्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हरिणा: with Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिणा: Sahakari/Instrument (Instrumental associate/करण-सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• विना: without
• विना: Nishedha/Exclusion (Exclusion marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपपद-योगेण तृतीया (instrumental) अपेक्षते

Speaker

Brahmā

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: ब्रह्मोवाच = ब्रह्मा + उवाच (स्वर-सन्धि). तस्माच्छत... etc not in this verse. ‘समासेन’ here functions adverbially (‘in brief’).

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Rādhā
• Hari (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa)

FAQs

What observance is introduced in this verse?

It introduces Rādhā-janmāṣṭamī, the Aṣṭamī (eighth lunar day) associated with the celebration/observance of Rādhā’s birth.

How does this verse emphasize Bhakti or Vaiṣṇava theology?

By stating that the narration will not be “without Hari” (hariṇā vinā), it frames the topic as inseparable from devotion to Hari (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa), a hallmark of Vaiṣṇava bhakti.

What ethical or practical instruction is implied for the listener?

The listener is asked to hear “susaṃāhitaḥ” (with a steady, attentive mind), implying disciplined listening and receptivity as a prerequisite for understanding sacred teachings.