Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 28

Lord Śiva Instructs the Pracetās (Śiva-stuti and the Path of Bhakti)

Devanagari script

य: परं रंहस: साक्षात्‍त्रिरगुणाज्जीवसंज्ञितात् । भगवन्तं वासुदेवं प्रपन्न: स प्रियो हि मे ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

yaḥ paraṁ raṁhasaḥ sākṣāt tri-guṇāj jīva-saṁjñitāt bhagavantaṁ vāsudevaṁ prapannaḥ sa priyo hi me

Translation

Lord Śiva continued: Any person who is surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, the controller of everything — material nature as well as the living entity — is actually very dear to me.

Synonyms

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; relative pronoun

• परम्: supremely; completely
• परम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; used adverbially = 'supremely/entirely'

• रंहसः: of the swift course; of speed
• रंहसः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रंहस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• साक्षात्: directly; manifestly
• साक्षात्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• त्रि-गुणात्: from the three guṇas
• त्रि-गुणात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Ablative source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; dvigu compound = 'three guṇas'

• जीव-संज्ञितात्: from that which is termed 'jīva'
• जीव-संज्ञितात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Ablative source)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जीव (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञित (कृदन्त; √ज्ञा/ज्ञा-धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; 'called/known as jīva'

• भगवन्तम्: the Lord
• भगवन्तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वासुदेवम्: Vāsudeva
• वासुदेवम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; apposition to भगवन्तम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रपन्नः: having surrendered; taking refuge
• प्रपन्नः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; qualifier of यः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रपन्न (कृदन्त; √पद्/पद्-धातु with प्र-, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; past participle used predicatively

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• प्रियः: dear
• प्रियः: विधेय (Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; predicate adjective

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: सम्बन्धसूचक (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• मे: to me; of me
• मे: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; enclitic form

Purport

Now Lord Śiva explains the reason he has personally come before the princes. It is because all the princes are devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (7.19) :

Characters & Entities

• Lord Shiva (Rudra)
• Vasudeva (Lord Krishna)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about surrender (śaraṇāgati) to Vāsudeva?

This verse states that one who fully takes shelter of Bhagavān Vāsudeva—who is beyond the three guṇas—is especially dear to Lord Shiva.

Why did Lord Shiva say this to the Pracetas in Canto 4 Chapter 24?

Shiva instructs the Pracetas in pure devotion, emphasizing that surrender to Vāsudeva is the highest path and is honored even by Shiva himself.

Practical application of transcending the three guṇas through bhakti in modern life?

Practice steady surrender through daily remembrance and worship of Vāsudeva—aligning choices with devotion rather than passion, ignorance, or mere worldly goodness.