Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 21

Devotion in Kimpuruṣa-varṣa and the Glory of Bhārata-varṣa

Rāmacandra & Nara-Nārāyaṇa; Rivers, Varṇāśrama, and Liberation

Devanagari script

एतदेव हि देवा गायन्ति— अहो अमीषां किमकारि शोभनं प्रसन्न एषां स्विदुत स्वयं हरि: । यैर्जन्म लब्धं नृषु भारताजिरे मुकुन्दसेवौपयिकं स्पृहा हि न: ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

etad eva hi devā gāyanti — aho amīṣāṁ kim akāri śobhanaṁ prasanna eṣāṁ svid uta svayaṁ hariḥ yair janma labdhaṁ nṛṣu bhāratājire mukunda-sevaupayikaṁ spṛhā hi naḥ

Translation

诸天歌咏道：何等奇妙！他们必曾修行殊胜善业，或是圣主哈利亲自垂悦于他们；因此得生于婆罗多之地，获人身以便多方奉事穆昆达（Mukunda）。我们诸天也只渴望能在婆罗多国土得人身以修奉爱，而他们却已在彼处从事奉事。

Synonyms

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; demonstrative pronoun

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

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

• devāḥ: the gods
• devāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• gāyanti: sing
• gāyanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gai (गै धातु)
• Form: Lakāra: Laṭ (Present), Parasmaipada; 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural

• aho: ah!/oh!
• aho: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aho (अव्यय)
• Form: Exclamation (विस्मयादिबोधक अव्यय)

• amīṣām: of these (people)
• amīṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural; 'of these'

• kim: what
• kim: Karma (कर्म) / Predicate interrogative
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; interrogative

• akāri: was done
• akāri: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: Lakāra: Luṅ (Aorist), Passive/Ātmanepada sense; 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; 'was done'

• śobhanam: auspicious deed/merit
• śobhanam: Karma (कर्म) / Predicate
• Type: Noun
• Root: śobhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; predicate noun

• prasannaḥ: pleased
• prasannaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prasanna (√sad धातु, क्त-कृदन्त as adjective)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agrees with hariḥ

• eṣām: of them
• eṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• svid: perhaps?/I wonder
• svid: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svid (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative particle (प्रश्नार्थक निपात)

• uta: indeed/or
• uta: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: uta (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) 'or/and/indeed'

• svayam: personally
• svayam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (स्वार्थक अव्यय)

• hariḥ: Hari
• hariḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• yaiḥ: by whom/for whom
• yaiḥ: Karta (कर्ता) / Agent-instrumental
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; relative pronoun

• janma: birth
• janma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular

• labdham: obtained
• labdham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: labdha (√labh धातु, क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; agrees with janma

• nṛṣu: among humans
• nṛṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural

• bhārata-ājire: in the land of Bhārata
• bhārata-ājire: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhārata (प्रातिपदिक) + ājira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: 'courtyard/arena of Bhārata' (i.e., Bhārata-varṣa); Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• mukunda-sevā-upayikam: fit for service to Mukunda
• mukunda-sevā-upayikam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mukunda (प्रातिपदिक) + sevā (प्रातिपदिक) + upayika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: 'useful/suitable (upayika) for Mukunda-sevā'; Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; qualifies janma

• spṛhā: desire/longing
• spṛhā: Karta (कर्ता) / Subject
• Type: Noun
• Root: spṛhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

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

• naḥ: for us/of us
• naḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी) / Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Plural; enclitic pronoun

Purport

These facts are further explained in Caitanya-caritāmṛta ( Ādi 9.41) :

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Mukunda
• Devas

FAQs

Why do the demigods praise birth in Bharata-varsha in Srimad Bhagavatam?

Because human birth in Bhārata-varṣa is especially conducive to Mukunda-sevā—devotional service to the Supreme Lord—which even the demigods aspire for.

Who is speaking this verse in Bhagavatam 5.19.21 and to whom?

Shukadeva Gosvami speaks this to King Parikshit while describing the unique spiritual opportunity available in Bhārata-varṣa.

How can this verse be applied in modern life?

It urges us to value human life as a rare chance for bhakti—using time, abilities, and daily duties to serve Mukunda through remembrance, worship, and ethical living.