Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 17

Aditi’s Lament and Kaśyapa’s Instruction of the Payo-vrata (Milk Vow) to Please Keśava

Devanagari script

यथा तानि पुन: साधो प्रपद्येरन् ममात्मजा: । तथा विधेहि कल्याणं धिया कल्याणकृत्तम ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

yathā tāni punaḥ sādho prapadyeran mamātmajāḥ tathā vidhehi kalyāṇaṁ dhiyā kalyāṇa-kṛttama

Translation

O best of sages, best of all those who grant auspicious benedictions, please consider our situation and bestow upon my sons the benedictions by which they can regain what they have lost.

Synonyms

• yathā: so that/as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction/adverb)

• tāni: those (things)
• tāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (subject of prapadyeran)

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• sādho: O saint/good one
• sādho: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sādhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• prapadyeran: may attain/obtain
• prapadyeran: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra+√pad (पद् धातु, ‘to go/attain’; आत्मनेपद)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• ātmajāḥ: sons/children
• ātmajāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātmaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• tathā: thus/so
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (correlative adverb)

• vidhehi: arrange/do
• vidhehi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi+√dhā (धा धातु, ‘to arrange/do’)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• kalyāṇam: auspicious good
• kalyāṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalyāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• dhiyā: with (your) intelligence
• dhiyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• kalyāṇa-kṛt-tama: O best doer of good
• kalyāṇa-kṛt-tama: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalyāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛt (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √kṛ ‘to do’) + tama (प्रत्यय, superlative)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘कल्याणं करोति’), तदन्ते तमप्-प्रत्ययेन अतिशय (superlative)

Characters & Entities

• Aditi
• Kashyapa
• Adityas
• Vishnu

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about surrender (prapatti) to Lord Vishnu in Canto 8?

This verse shows Aditi praying that her sons again “take shelter” (prapadyeran), implying that restoration and protection come through renewed surrender to the Lord.

Why did Aditi say this to Kashyapa Muni?

Aditi, distressed for the welfare of her sons (the Adityas), requests Kashyapa—known for auspicious counsel and spiritual power—to arrange their return to the Lord’s shelter through proper, beneficent guidance.

How can I apply this teaching in modern life?

When facing loss or instability, seek saintly guidance and re-center life on devotional surrender—returning to prayer, dharma, and reliance on the Lord rather than only external solutions.