Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 75

Dhruva’s Humiliation, Sunīti’s Counsel, and Nārada’s Bhakti-Yoga Instruction

Devanagari script

चतुर्थमपि वै मासं द्वादशे द्वादशेऽहनि । वायुभक्षो जितश्वासो ध्यायन्देवमधारयत् ॥ ७५ ॥

Transliteration

caturtham api vai māsaṁ dvādaśe dvādaśe ’hani vāyu-bhakṣo jita-śvāso dhyāyan devam adhārayat

Translation

In the fourth month Dhruva Mahārāja became a complete master of the breathing exercise, and thus he inhaled air only every twelfth day. In this way he became completely fixed in his position and worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Synonyms

• चतुर्थम्: the fourth
• चतुर्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ordinal adjective with 'मासम्'

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), समुच्चय/अपि = also/even

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• मासम्: month
• मासम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• द्वादशे: on the twelfth
• द्वादशे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ordinal used with 'अहनि'

• द्वादशे: on each twelfth
• द्वादशे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; distributive repetition

• अहनि: day
• अहनि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वायु-भक्षः: one who subsists on air
• वायु-भक्षः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (वायोः भक्षः = air-eater); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जित-श्वासः: having controlled the breath
• जित-श्वासः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित (कृदन्त; √जि धातु) + श्वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/उपपद: 'जितः श्वासः यस्य' sense); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ध्यायन्: meditating
• ध्यायन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देवम्: the Lord/God
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अधारयत्: he held/sustained (in mind)
• अधारयत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु) उपसर्ग: अ- (अधि- as prefix)
• Form: लङ्-लकार, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Characters & Entities

• Dhruva Maharaja
• Supreme Lord (Vishnu)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Dhruva Maharaja’s austerities and meditation?

This verse describes Dhruva’s fourth-month discipline: fasting so intensely that he lived on air, controlling the breath, and holding his mind steadily on the Supreme Lord in meditation.

Why is Dhruva Maharaja described as 'jita-shvasa' (one who conquered the breath)?

Because his austerity included mastery over breathing, which supports deep concentration; by restraining the breath, he stabilized the mind and remained fixed in meditation on the Lord.

Practical application of Dhruva’s teaching for modern life—how can one ‘hold the mind on God’ today?

Adopt a sustainable discipline—regular devotional practice (japa, prayer, scriptural meditation) with controlled habits—so the mind becomes steadily anchored in remembrance of the Lord.