Shloka 25

Nanda Mahārāja Celebrates Kṛṣṇa’s Birth; Vasudeva Warns of Danger

Devanagari script

नैकत्र प्रियसंवास: सुहृदां चित्रकर्मणाम् । ओघेन व्यूह्यमानानां प्लवानां स्रोतसो यथा ॥ २५ ॥

Transliteration

naikatra priya-saṁvāsaḥ suhṛdāṁ citra-karmaṇām oghena vyūhyamānānāṁ plavānāṁ srotaso yathā

Translation

如同木板木枝被河流波涛冲散，难以同处；同样，因各自业力不同，又被时光之浪推移，亲友眷属也难常相聚。

Synonyms

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (particle of negation)

• एकत्र: in one place
• एकत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण-देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एकत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place: 'in one place')

• प्रियसंवासः: pleasant companionship; living together with loved ones
• प्रियसंवासः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय-संवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (प्रियैः सह संवासः / प्रियस्य संवासः)

• सुहृदाम्: of friends
• सुहृदाम्: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• चित्रकर्मणाम्: of those with varied activities/occupations
• चित्रकर्मणाम्: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्र-कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (चित्रं कर्म येषाम् / चित्रं कर्म)

• ओघेन: by the flood; by the current
• ओघेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• व्यूह्यमानानाम्: of those being carried/borne along
• व्यूह्यमानानाम्: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि+√ऊह् (धातु) + यमान (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present passive participle, यमान); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (of 'plavānām')

• प्लवानाम्: of boats/rafts
• प्लवानाम्: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्लव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• स्रोतसः: of the stream/current
• स्रोतसः: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्रोतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• यथा: as; like
• यथा: Sambandha (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle: 'as/like')

Purport

Vasudeva was lamenting because he and Nanda Mahārāja could not live together. Yet how could they live together? Vasudeva warns that all of us, even if intimately related, are carried away by the waves of time according to the results of past karma.

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the impermanence of friendships and association?

This verse explains that even loving friendship does not stay fixed; like boats moved by a river’s current, people are brought together and separated by circumstances and time.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī use the example of boats in a river?

To show how external forces—like the river’s current—shift living beings’ meetings and partings, emphasizing that worldly arrangements are not fully under personal control.

What is the practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Value relationships without possessiveness: do your duties sincerely, stay devoted to Kṛṣṇa, and accept changes in association without bitterness, remembering time constantly rearranges life.