Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 23

The Appearance of Vāmanadeva and His Arrival at Bali’s Sacrifice

Devanagari script

इत्थं सशिष्येषु भृगुष्वनेकधा वितर्क्यमाणो भगवान्स वामन: । छत्रं सदण्डं सजलं कमण्डलुं विवेश बिभ्रद्धयमेधवाटम् ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

itthaṁ saśiṣyeṣu bhṛguṣv anekadhā vitarkyamāṇo bhagavān sa vāmanaḥ chatraṁ sadaṇḍaṁ sajalaṁ kamaṇḍaluṁ viveśa bibhrad dhayamedha-vāṭam

Translation

While the priests of the Bhṛgu dynasty and their disciples talked and argued in various ways, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāmanadeva, holding in His hands the rod, the umbrella and a waterpot full of water, entered the arena of the aśvamedha sacrifice.

Synonyms

• ittham: thus
• ittham: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ittham (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (प्रकारवाचक अव्यय)

• sa-śiṣyeṣu: among (them) with their disciples
• sa-śiṣyeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + śiṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural; avyayībhāva: ‘with disciples’

• bhṛguṣu: among the Bhṛgus
• bhṛguṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhṛgu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural

• anekadhā: in many ways
• anekadhā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anekadhā (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (प्रकारवाचक अव्यय)

• vitarkyamāṇaḥ: being discussed/deliberated
• vitarkyamāṇaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता) — participial state
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-tark (धातु) → vitarkyamāṇa (कृदन्त)
• Form: Present passive participle (शानच्), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘being deliberated about’

• bhagavān: the Lord
• bhagavān: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Kartā (कर्ता) — apposition
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; pronoun

• vāmanaḥ: Vāmana
• vāmanaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāmana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• chatram: umbrella
• chatram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: chatra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• sa-daṇḍam: with a staff
• sa-daṇḍam: Karma (कर्म) — qualifier
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + daṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; avyayībhāva: ‘with a staff’; qualifying ‘chatram’/equipment set

• sa-jalam: with water
• sa-jalam: Karma (कर्म) — qualifier
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; avyayībhāva: ‘with water’; qualifying ‘kamaṇḍalum’

• kamaṇḍalum: water-pot
• kamaṇḍalum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kamaṇḍalu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• viveśa: entered
• viveśa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-viś (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; parasmaipada

• bibhrat: bearing/carrying
• bibhrat: Kartā (कर्ता) — participial action
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhṛ (धातु) → bibhrat (कृदन्त)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agreeing with subject

• dhayamedha-vāṭam: the enclosure of the Dhayamedha sacrifice
• dhayamedha-vāṭam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhayamedha (प्रातिपदिक) + vāṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; tatpuruṣa: ‘dhayamedhasya vāṭaḥ’ = enclosure of the sacrifice

Characters & Entities

• Vāmana
• Bhṛgu sages

FAQs

Why did Vāmana enter the Aśvamedha sacrifice arena in Srimad Bhagavatam?

In this verse, Vāmana arrives at the sacrificial arena as a brahmacārī mendicant, setting the stage to request charity and reveal the Lord’s divine plan within the yajña context.

What is the meaning of Vāmana carrying an umbrella, staff, and kamaṇḍalu?

These items are traditional signs of a Vedic student/renunciant—symbolizing discipline, purity, and dependence on dharma—highlighting the Lord’s humble, brahminical appearance.

How can the teaching of Vāmana’s humble appearance be applied in modern life?

It encourages humility and simplicity: true spiritual power may appear modest, and one should honor dharma and devotion over external display or pride.