Shloka 29

Kurukṣetra Pilgrimage: Sages Praise Kṛṣṇa; Vasudeva Inquires on Karma; Viṣṇu-yajña Performed

Devanagari script

श्रीवसुदेव उवाच नमो व: सर्वदेवेभ्य ऋषय: श्रोतुमर्हथ । कर्मणा कर्मनिर्हारो यथा स्यान्नस्तदुच्यताम् ॥ २९ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-vasudeva uvāca namo vaḥ sarva-devebhya ṛṣayaḥ śrotum arhatha karmaṇā karma-nirhāro yathā syān nas tad ucyatām

Translation

瓦苏戴瓦说：向诸位致敬，噢，圣仙们，你们是诸天神明的居处。请垂听我言：请告诉我们，如何以进一步的行为来抵消业行的反应。

Synonyms

• śrī-vasudevaḥ: Śrī Vasudeva
• śrī-vasudevaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + vasudeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (उपाधि-पूर्वपद); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• namaḥ: salutations
• namaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/नमस्कार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निपात/अव्यय (salutation particle), usually with dative

• vaḥ: to you (all)
• vaḥ: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; चतुर्थी/षष्ठी (4th/6th), बहुवचन; here with namaḥ = चतुर्थी (dative)

• sarva-devebhyaḥ: to all the gods/divine ones
• sarva-devebhyaḥ: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), बहुवचन

• ṛṣayaḥ: O sages
• ṛṣayaḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा (8th/1st), बहुवचन; here vocative address

• śrotum: to hear
• śrotum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śru (धातु) → śrotum (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive); प्रयोजनार्थ

• arhatha: you are worthy/please (do)
• arhatha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arh (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), बहुवचन

• karmaṇā: by action/ritual
• karmaṇā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• karma-nirhāraḥ: the removal/expunction of karma
• karma-nirhāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक) + nirhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• yathā: so that/how
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/उपायवाचक (how/so that)

• syāt: may be
• syāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• naḥ: for us
• naḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन (genitive: "of us/for us"; contextually beneficiary)

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (impersonal subject of passive)

• ucyatām: let it be said/told
• ucyatām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Purport

Here Vasudeva addresses the sages as “the residence of all the demigods.” His statement is confirmed in the authoritative śruti-mantras, which declare, yāvatīr vai devatās tāḥ sarvā veda-vidi brāhmaṇe vasanti: “Whatever demigods exist, all reside in a brāhmaṇa who knows the Veda. ”

Characters & Entities

• Vasudeva
• Ṛṣis (sages)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about removing karma (karma-nirhāra)?

This verse shows Vasudeva asking the sages how karmic reactions can be neutralized through proper, prescribed action—implying that dharmic practice and purification can counteract prior karma when done correctly.

Why did Vasudeva ask the sages this question in Canto 10 Chapter 84?

Vasudeva addresses the assembled sages with reverence and seeks authoritative guidance on purification—how to live and act so that karmic entanglement is reduced rather than increased.

Practical application of karma-nirhāra in modern life?

Act responsibly and ethically, align work with higher principles, and perform duties in a spirit of service and purification—so actions uplift character instead of creating further harmful reactions.