Shloka 3

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

Devanagari script

धेनूनां नियुते प्रादाद् विप्रेभ्य: समलङ्कृते । तिलाद्रीन्सप्त रत्नौघशातकौम्भाम्बरावृतान् ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

dhenūnāṁ niyute prādād viprebhyaḥ samalaṅkṛte tilādrīn sapta ratnaugha- śātakaumbhāmbarāvṛtān

Translation

难陀大王向婆罗门施舍两百万头母牛，皆以衣饰与珠宝庄严；又布施七堆如山之谷粮，上覆宝石与金线绣衣。

Synonyms

• धेनूनाम्: of cows
• धेनूनाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• नियुते: in the measure of a niyuta (ten-thousand)
• नियुते: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); संख्या-परिमाणे (measure)

• प्रादात्: gave
• प्रादात्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• विप्रेभ्यः: to the brāhmaṇas
• विप्रेभ्यः: सम्प्रदान (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• समलङ्कृते: when (they were) well-adorned / in a well-decorated state
• समलङ्कृते: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + अलङ्कृत (कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• तिलाद्रीन्: sesame-heaps (lit. sesame-mountains)
• तिलाद्रीन्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल + अद्रि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (tila-adrīṇ = ‘mountains of sesame’)

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या-विशेषण (numeral adjective), तिलाद्रीन् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• रत्नौघ-शातकौम्भ-अम्बर-आवृतान्: covered with masses of jewels, golden pots, and cloth
• रत्नौघ-शातकौम्भ-अम्बर-आवृतान्: कर्मणि विशेषण (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत्न + ओघ + शात + कुम्भ + अम्बर + आवृत (कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषणम्; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः—रत्नौघैः शातकौम्भैः अम्बरैः च आवृताः (covered with streams of jewels, golden pots, and cloth)

Characters & Entities

• Nanda Mahārāja
• brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about charity (dāna) during sacred celebrations?

This verse shows that during auspicious events like Lord Krishna’s birth festival, devotees express gratitude through generous charity—especially to brāhmaṇas—offering cows, foodstuffs, wealth, and cloth.

Why did Nanda Mahārāja give so many gifts to the brāhmaṇas after Krishna’s birth?

In the narrative, Nanda Mahārāja celebrates the divine birth in Vraja and performs traditional acts of dharma—honoring brāhmaṇas and giving abundant charity as part of the birth festival (janma-mahotsava).

Practical application of dāna from Bhagavatam 10.5.3 in modern life?

Mark sacred milestones with meaningful giving—support spiritual education, feed others, donate essentials, and honor those who live by wisdom and service—offering it with devotion rather than mere display.