Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 10

Kriyā-yoga, the Virāṭ-Puruṣa Mapping, and the Sun-God’s Monthly Expansions

Devanagari script

कौस्तुभव्यपदेशेन स्वात्मज्योतिर्बिभर्त्यज: । तत्प्रभा व्यापिनी साक्षात् श्रीवत्समुरसा विभु: ॥ १० ॥

Transliteration

kaustubha-vyapadeśena svātma-jyotir bibharty ajaḥ tat-prabhā vyāpinī sākṣāt śrīvatsam urasā vibhuḥ

Translation

Upon His chest the almighty, unborn Personality of Godhead bears the Kaustubha gem, which represents the pure spirit soul, along with the Śrīvatsa mark, which is the direct manifestation of this gem’s expansive effulgence.

Synonyms

• कौस्तुभ-व्यपदेशेन: by the designation/name of Kaustubha
• कौस्तुभ-व्यपदेशेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौस्तुभ (प्रातिपदिक) + व्यपदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (कौस्तुभस्य व्यपदेशः) — Instrumental singular

• स्वात्म-ज्योतिः: the light of His own Self
• स्वात्म-ज्योतिः: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वात्मनः ज्योतिः) — Nominative singular

• बिभर्ति: bears, holds
• बिभर्ति: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन — ‘bears/holds’

• अजः: the Unborn (Lord)
• अजः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• तत्-प्रभा: its radiance
• तत्-प्रभा: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तस्य प्रभा) — Nominative singular

• व्यापिनी: all-pervading
• व्यापिनी: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √व्याप् (धातु) + इन् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-समर्थ अर्थे), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — agreeing with ‘प्रभा’

• साक्षात्: directly, manifestly
• साक्षात्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) — ‘directly/manifestly’

• श्रीवत्सम्: Śrīvatsa mark
• श्रीवत्सम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीवत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• उरसा: on (His) chest
• उरसा: अधिकरण (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन — Instrumental singular (‘on/with the chest’)

• विभुः: the all-powerful Lord
• विभुः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative singular

Characters & Entities

• Kaustubha
• Śrīvatsa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Kaustubha jewel?

This verse explains that Kaustubha represents the Lord’s own self-effulgent spiritual radiance, borne by the unborn Supreme Lord.

Why does the Bhagavatam mention the Śrīvatsa mark on the Lord’s chest?

Here Śrīvatsa is described as the direct manifestation of the all-pervading splendor of the Lord’s inner radiance, revealing His transcendental identity through divine insignia.

Practical application of meditating on the Lord’s transcendental marks in modern life?

Remembering the Lord’s spiritual form—His divine signs like Kaustubha and Śrīvatsa—helps steady the mind in devotion and strengthens faith that the Supreme is beyond material limitation.