Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 48

Kṛṣṇa Leads Kālayavana to Mucukunda; The Yavana Is Burned; Mucukunda’s Prayers and Boon of Bhakti

Devanagari script

कलेवरेऽस्मिन् घटकुड्यसन्निभे निरूढमानो नरदेव इत्यहम् । वृतो रथेभाश्वपदात्यनीकपै- र्गां पर्यटंस्त्वागणयन् सुदुर्मद: ॥ ४८ ॥

Transliteration

kalevare ’smin ghaṭa-kuḍya-sannibhe nirūḍha-māno nara-deva ity aham vṛto rathebhāśva-padāty-anīkapair gāṁ paryaṭaṁs tvāgaṇayan su-durmadaḥ

Translation

我在深重傲慢中把这如罐如墙的物质之身当作自己，自以为“人中之神”。我被战车、象队、骑兵、步兵与将领簇拥，周游大地，却在迷妄的狂傲中轻慢了你。

Synonyms

• kalevare: in (this) body
• kalevare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalevara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• asmin: in this
• asmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ghaṭa-kuḍya-sannibhe: resembling a pot and a wall
• ghaṭa-kuḍya-sannibhe: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghaṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + kuḍya (प्रातिपदिक) + sannibha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंस-समर्थ, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘घट-कुड्यवत् सन्निभः’ (like a pot/wall)

• nirūḍha-mānaḥ: with inflated pride
• nirūḍha-mānaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nirūḍha (प्रातिपदिक) + māna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘निरूढः मानः’ (swollen pride)

• nara-devaḥ: a king
• nara-devaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘नरः देव इव’ (a god among men/king)

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyopapada (वाक्योपपद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: इत्यादि-परामर्शक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• vṛtaḥ: surrounded
• vṛtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ratha-ibha-aśva-padāti-anīkapaiḥ: by chariots, elephants, horses, infantry and commanders
• ratha-ibha-aśva-padāti-anīkapaiḥ: Karaṇa/Sahakārī (करण/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha (प्रातिपदिक) + ibha (प्रातिपदिक) + aśva (प्रातिपदिक) + padāti (प्रातिपदिक) + anīka-pa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समुच्चय-द्वन्द्व: ‘रथैः च इभैः च अश्वैः च पदातिभिः च अनीकपैः च’

• gām: the earth
• gām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• paryaṭan: roaming about
• paryaṭan: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√aṭ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-वर्तमान कृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tvā: you
• tvā: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• agaṇayan: disregarding
• agaṇayan: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: a-√gaṇ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-वर्तमान कृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वक: ‘not counting/regarding’

• su-durmadaḥ: very arrogant
• su-durmadaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + durmada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/उपपद: ‘सुतरां दुर्मदः’ (very arrogant)

Characters & Entities

• Mucukunda
• Krishna

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about pride in power and kingship?

This verse shows that even a king, surrounded by armies, can become intoxicated with false prestige and neglect the Supreme Lord; true wisdom is to recognize the body’s fragility and cultivate humility before Krishna.

Why did Mucukunda confess his arrogance to Lord Krishna?

After receiving Krishna’s mercy and awakening spiritually, Mucukunda admits how royal opulence made him proud and forgetful of God, and he offers repentance as part of his surrender.

Practical application of this shloka in modern life?

Treat status, followers, and achievements as temporary; remember the body’s vulnerability, and consciously practice gratitude and devotion so success does not turn into ego.