Shloka 7

Sudāmā Brāhmaṇa: Divine Friendship, Guru-bhakti, and the Lord’s Grace

Devanagari script

यद‍ृच्छयोपपन्नेन वर्तमानो गृहाश्रमी । तस्य भार्या कुचैलस्य क्षुत्क्षामा च तथाविधा ॥ ७ ॥

Transliteration

yadṛcchayopapannena vartamāno gṛhāśramī tasya bhāryā ku-cailasya kṣut-kṣāmā ca tathā-vidhā

Translation

虽为居士，他仅以偶然得来的东西维生。那位衣衫褴褛的婆罗门之妻也与他同受艰辛，因饥饿而极度消瘦。

Synonyms

• यदृच्छया: by chance
• यदृच्छया: Hetu/Karaṇa (हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यदृच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन; adverbial use ‘by chance’

• उपपन्नेन: obtained/come by
• उपपन्नेन: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपपन्न (कृदन्त; √पद्/पद्यते with उप-; past passive participle)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त)

• वर्तमानः: living/being
• वर्तमानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्तमान (कृदन्त; √वृत् ‘to be/occur’; शतृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त (शतृ)

• गृहाश्रमी: a householder
• गृहाश्रमी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह + आश्रमिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गृहस्य आश्रमः यस्य)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• भार्या: wife
• भार्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कुचैलस्य: of the one with poor clothing
• कुचैलस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कु + चैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (कुचैलः = दुष्टं चैलं यस्य/दुष्टं चैलम्)

• क्षुत्क्षामा: emaciated by hunger
• क्षुत्क्षामा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुत् + क्षाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (क्षुत्या क्षामा)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तथाविधा: of such a condition
• तथाविधा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तथा + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव (तथा-विध = ‘of such a kind’)

Purport

Sudāmā’s chaste wife was also poorly dressed, and whatever food she obtained she gave to her husband. Thus she remained fatigued from hunger.

Characters & Entities

• Sudāmā (brāhmaṇa friend of Kṛṣṇa)
• Sudāmā's wife

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about living by yadṛcchā-lābha (accepting what comes naturally)?

This verse describes Sudāmā sustaining his household life by whatever came without striving, highlighting contentment, simplicity, and dependence on providence rather than greed.

Why is Sudāmā’s wife described as hungry and in torn clothes in Bhagavatam 10.80?

The description emphasizes the family’s extreme poverty and austerity, setting the devotional backdrop for Sudāmā’s later visit to Lord Kṛṣṇa and the Lord’s compassion toward His devotee.

Practical application: how can modern devotees apply Sudāmā’s example without neglecting responsibilities?

Cultivate contentment, reduce unnecessary wants, live honestly within one’s means, and keep devotion central—while still performing one’s duties responsibly, without obsession for luxury.