Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 44

Citraketu’s Detachment, Nārada’s Mantra, and the Darśana of Anantadeva

Devanagari script

न हि भगवन्नघटितमिदं त्वद्दर्शनान्नृणामखिलपापक्षय: । यन्नाम सकृच्छ्रवणात् पुक्कशोऽपि विमुच्यते संसारात् ॥ ४४ ॥

Transliteration

na hi bhagavann aghaṭitam idaṁ tvad-darśanān nṛṇām akhila-pāpa-kṣayaḥ yan-nāma sakṛc chravaṇāt pukkaśo ’pi vimucyate saṁsārāt

Translation

主啊，见到祢便能立刻消除一切罪垢，并非不可能。因为仅仅一次聆听祢的圣名，连最低贱的旃陀罗（pukkasa）也能脱离轮回；既如此，亲见祢者又有谁不被净化呢？

Synonyms

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Niṣedha-avyaya (not)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (indeed)

• bhagavan: O Lord
• bhagavan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (m.), Sambodhana (Voc.), Ekavacana (sg.)

• aghaṭitam: improper/impossible
• aghaṭitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- + ghaṭita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsaka (n.), Prathamā (Nom. 1) / Dvitīyā (Acc. 2), Ekavacana (sg.)

• idam: this
• idam: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Napuṁsaka (n.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Ekavacana (sg.)

• tvad-darśanāt: from seeing you
• tvad-darśanāt: Apādāna (अपादान/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad + darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsaka (n.), Pañcamī (Abl. 5), Ekavacana (sg.); तत्पुरुष-समासः

• nṛṇām: of people
• nṛṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/for whom)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (m.), Ṣaṣṭhī (Gen. 6), Bahuvacana (pl.)

• akhila-pāpa-kṣayaḥ: the total destruction of sins
• akhila-pāpa-kṣayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: akhila + pāpa + kṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Ekavacana (sg.); बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (complete destruction of sins)

• yat-nāma: whose name
• yat-nāma: Karta (कर्ता/subject of following clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yat + nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsaka (n.), Prathamā (Nom. 1) / Dvitīyā (Acc. 2), Ekavacana (sg.); तत्पुरुषः (whose name)

• sakṛt: once
• sakṛt: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sakṛt (अव्यय)
• Form: Kāla/saṅkhyā-avyaya (once, even once)

• śravaṇāt: from hearing
• śravaṇāt: Apādāna (अपादान/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śravaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsaka (n.), Pañcamī (Abl. 5), Ekavacana (sg.)

• pukkaśaḥ: a pukkaśa (outcaste)
• pukkaśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pukkaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (m.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Ekavacana (sg.)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (also/even)

• vimucyate: is freed
• vimucyate: Kriyā (क्रिया/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + √muc (मुच् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Pres.), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana (sg.), Ātmanepada; passive sense: is released

• saṁsārāt: from saṁsāra
• saṁsārāt: Apādāna (अपादान/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṁsāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (m.), Pañcamī (Abl. 5), Ekavacana (sg.)

Purport

As stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (9.5.16) , yan-nāma-śruti-mātreṇa pumān bhavati nirmalaḥ: simply by hearing the holy name of the Lord, one is immediately purified. Therefore, in this Age of Kali, when all people are very contaminated, the chanting of the holy name of the Lord is recommended as the only means of improvement.

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavān (Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa/Ananta)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about hearing the holy name once?

This verse states that even hearing the Lord’s name just one time can free a person—even one born in a degraded condition—from the bondage of saṁsāra.

Why does Citraketu say that sin is destroyed by the Lord’s darśana?

Because Citraketu is glorifying the Lord’s purifying power: if mere nāma-śravaṇa can liberate, then it is natural that direct darśana of the Lord eradicates all sins.

How can I apply this teaching in modern life?

Make regular time to hear and chant the Lord’s names (nāma-śravaṇa and nāma-kīrtana), trusting their purifying effect and using them as daily spiritual practice.