Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 35

Gṛhastha-Dharma: How a Householder Attains Liberation by Offering All to Vāsudeva

Devanagari script

देवर्ष्यर्हत्सु वै सत्सु तत्र ब्रह्मात्मजादिषु । राजन्यदग्रपूजायां मत: पात्रतयाच्युत: ॥ ३५ ॥

Transliteration

devarṣy-arhatsu vai satsu tatra brahmātmajādiṣu rājan yad agra-pūjāyāṁ mataḥ pātratayācyutaḥ

Translation

尤提希提罗王啊，在你的罗阇苏耶祭中，诸天、天仙圣者、众多圣人，乃至梵天的四子也都在场；然而当问及“谁应先受礼敬”之时，众人一致裁定：不堕者阿周陀——圣奎师那，至上人格神——最堪受首敬与先供。

Synonyms

• देवर्षि-अर्हत्सु: among the worthy divine sages
• देवर्षि-अर्हत्सु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवर्षि (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्हत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), बहुवचन; masculine locative plural; karmadhāraya: ‘worthy divine sages’

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis)

• सत्सु: among the virtuous
• सत्सु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; masculine locative plural; ‘among the good/saints’

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb: ‘there/in that context’)

• ब्रह्म-आत्मज-आदिषु: among Brahmā’s sons and others
• ब्रह्म-आत्मज-आदिषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; masculine locative plural; ‘among Brahmā’s sons and others’

• राजन्: O King
• राजन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; vocative singular

• यत्: that which/wherein
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; relative pronoun used correlatively (‘as for which/that which’)

• अग्र-पूजायाम्: in the first/foremost worship
• अग्र-पूजायाम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; feminine locative singular; ‘in the foremost worship/first honor’

• मतः: is considered
• मतः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत (कृदन्त; √मन् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; PPP ‘considered/held to be’

• पात्रतया: as (the) worthy recipient-ness
• पात्रतया: Hetu/Karaṇa (हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्रता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; feminine instrumental singular; abstract noun ‘worthiness as recipient’

• अच्युतः: Acyuta (the Lord)
• अच्युतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; masculine nominative singular (name of Viṣṇu)

Purport

This is a reference to the Rājasūya sacrifice performed by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. In that meeting there was a great turmoil over selecting the best person to be worshiped first. Everyone decided to worship Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The only protest came from Śiśupāla, and because of his vehement opposition he was killed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Characters & Entities

• Prahlāda Mahārāja
• King Yudhiṣṭhira
• Acyuta (Lord Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa)
• Brahmā

FAQs

Who is the proper recipient of foremost worship (agrapūjā) in the Srimad Bhagavatam?

This verse states that even among the most venerable sages and exalted beings, Acyuta (the infallible Lord Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa) is the supreme and most fitting recipient of first worship.

Why does Prahlāda Mahārāja tell King Yudhiṣṭhira to worship Acyuta first?

In teaching ideal household and religious conduct, Prahlāda clarifies the hierarchy of honor: respect all saintly persons, but offer the highest worship to the Supreme Lord, who is the ultimate shelter of all.

How can I apply this teaching about worship and respect in modern life?

Honor saints, teachers, and elders appropriately, while keeping devotion centered on God—making the Lord the primary focus of gratitude, prayer, and offerings.