Shloka 40

Vasudeva and Devakī Glorify Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma; The Recovery of Devakī’s Six Sons from Sutala

Devanagari script

दर्शनं वां हि भूतानां दुष्प्रापं चाप्यदुर्लभम् । रजस्तम:स्वभावानां यन्न: प्राप्तौ यद‍ृच्छया ॥ ४० ॥

Transliteration

darśanaṁ vāṁ hi bhūtānāṁ duṣprāpaṁ cāpy adurlabham rajas-tamaḥ-svabhāvānāṁ yan naḥ prāptau yadṛcchayā

Translation

噢二位主宰！对大多数众生而言，得见你们实属极难、极其稀有；然而即便我们性情处于激情与无明之中，只要你们以自己甘美的意愿显现，我们也能轻易得见你们。

Synonyms

• darśanam: the sight/vision
• darśanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1) / Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• vām: of you two
• vām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuvam (युष्मद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Dual (द्विवचन)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis/indeed

• bhūtānām: of living beings
• bhūtānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन)

• duṣprāpam: hard to obtain
• duṣprāpam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duṣprāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), ‘also/even’

• adurlabham: not easily attainable; very rare
• adurlabham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adurlabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• rajas-tamaḥ-svabhāvānām: of those of rajasic-tamasic nature
• rajas-tamaḥ-svabhāvānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajas + tamas + svabhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुष: ‘of those whose nature is (dominated by) rajas and tamas’

• yat: which
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative, Singular (एकवचन)

• naḥ: for us/to us
• naḥ: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (षष्ठी/6) / Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Plural (बहुवचन)

• prāptau: upon obtaining; at the attainment
• prāptau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāpti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन)

• yadṛcchayā: by chance; by providence
• yadṛcchayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yadṛcchā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

Purport

By ascribing to himself the degraded status of a demoniac birth, Bali Mahārāja denied any spiritual qualification for being visited by Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. What to speak of demons like himself, Bali thought, even advanced renunciants on the paths of jñāna and yoga fail to please the Lord when they do not give up their pride and envy.

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Balarama

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about attaining Krishna’s darshan?

This verse says that for conditioned beings influenced by rajas and tamas, attaining the Lord’s personal audience is extremely rare—yet it becomes possible by divine providence and unexpected grace (yadṛcchayā).

Why did the gopīs say this to Krishna and Balarama in Canto 10 Chapter 85?

When Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma came to meet the Vraja residents, the gopīs expressed astonishment and gratitude that, though such darśana is nearly impossible for materially conditioned souls, they had received it by rare good fortune.

Practical application: how can I cultivate the ‘good fortune’ (yadṛcchayā) mentioned here?

By seeking saintly association, hearing and chanting about Kṛṣṇa, and living with humility—one becomes receptive to grace, and opportunities for genuine spiritual connection arise even amid worldly influences.