FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.12.23

सुनन्दनन्दावूचतु: भो भो राजन्सुभद्रं ते वाचं नोऽवहित: श‍ृणु । य: पञ्चवर्षस्तपसा भवान्देवमतीतृपत् ॥ २३ ॥
sunanda-nandāv ūcatuḥ
[sunanda-nandaav oochatuh]
bho bho rājan subhadraṁ te
[bho bho raajan subhadram te]
vācaṁ no ’vahitaḥ śṛṇu
[vaacham no ’vahitah shrinu]
yaḥ pañca-varṣas tapasā
[yah pancha-varshas tapasaa]
bhavān devam atītṛpat
[bhavaan devam ateetripat]
sunanda-nandau ūcatuḥ — Sunanda and Nanda said bhoḥ bhoḥ rājan — O dear King su-bhadram — good fortune te — unto you vācam — words naḥ — our avahitaḥ — attentively śṛṇu — hear yaḥ — who pañca-varṣaḥ — five years old tapasā — by austerity bhavān — you devam — the Supreme Personality of Godhead atītṛpat — greatly satisfied.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sunanda-nandāv ūcatuḥ
sunanda-nandau ūcatuḥ
Sunanda and Nanda said
bho bho rājan subhadraṁ te
bhoḥ bhoḥ rājan
O dear King
su-bhadram
good fortune
te
unto you
vācaṁ no ’vahitaḥ śṛṇu
vācam
words
naḥ
our
yaḥ pañca-varṣas tapasā
avahitaḥ
attentively
śṛṇu
hear
yaḥ
who
pañca-varṣaḥ
five years old
tapasā
by austerity
bhavān devam atītṛpat
bhavān
you
devam
the Supreme Personality of Godhead
atītṛpat
greatly satisfied.
Nanda and Sunanda, the two confidential associates of Lord Viṣṇu, said: Dear King, let there be all good fortune unto you. Please attentively hear what we shall say. When you were only five years old, you underwent severe austerities, and you thereby greatly satisfied the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

What was possible for Dhruva Mahārāja is possible for anyone. Any five-year-old child can be trained, and within a very short time his life will become successful by realization of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Unfortunately, this training is lacking all over the world. It is necessary for the leaders of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement to start educational institutions in different parts of the world to train children, starting at the age of five years. Thus such children will not become hippies or spoiled children of society; rather, they can all become devotees of the Lord. The face of the world will then change automatically.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Sunanda and Nanda said: O King! All good fortune to you, who pleased the Lord by austerity when you were five years old! Attentively hear our words. By saying “Good fortune to you!” they indicate that he would attain the Lord’s abode in his present body.
At five you did severe austerities and greatly satisfied the Lord — what's possible for you is possible for anyone. Childhood is not too early; the limiting factor isn't age but training and resolve.
Reflection Questions
  • Which excuse about 'wrong stage of life' am I using to avoid a deeper move?
  • Whom in my life — child, beginner, elder — am I underestimating because of their stage?
📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 12