Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 12

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

Devanagari script

स्वमायां वनमालाख्यां नानागुणमयीं दधत् । वासश्छन्दोमयं पीतं ब्रह्मसूत्रं त्रिवृत् स्वरम् ॥ ११ ॥ बिभर्ति साङ्ख्यं योगं च देवो मकरकुण्डले । मौलिं पदं पारमेष्ठ्यं सर्वलोकाभयङ्करम् ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

sva-māyāṁ vana-mālākhyāṁ nānā-guṇa-mayīṁ dadhat vāsaś chando-mayaṁ pītaṁ brahma-sūtraṁ tri-vṛt svaram

Translation

His flower garland is His material energy, comprising various combinations of the modes of nature. His yellow garment is the Vedic meters, and His sacred thread the syllable om composed of three sounds. In the form of His two shark-shaped earrings, the Lord carries the processes of Sāṅkhya and yoga, and His crown, bestowing fearlessness on the inhabitants of all the worlds, is the supreme position of Brahmaloka.

Synonyms

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

• साङ्ख्यम्: Sāṅkhya (system)
• साङ्ख्यम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साङ्ख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular

• योगम्: Yoga (discipline)
• योगम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• देवः: the Lord
• देवः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular

• मकर-कुण्डले: with makara-shaped earrings
• मकर-कुण्डले: अधिकरण (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मकर (प्रातिपदिक) + कुण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), द्विवचन (dual) — ‘in/with the makara-earrings’; तत्पुरुषः (मकराकारं कुण्डलम्)

• मौलिम्: crown, diadem
• मौलिम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मौलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular

• पदम्: state, position
• पदम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular

• पारमेष्ठ्यम्: supreme, highest
• पारमेष्ठ्यम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परमेष्ठिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘supreme (of the highest lord)’, agreeing with ‘पदम्’

• सर्व-लोक-अभयङ्करम्: giving fearlessness to all worlds
• सर्व-लोक-अभयङ्करम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + अभयङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वलोकानाम् अभयङ्करम्) — agreeing with ‘पदम्’

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Bhagavān (the Supreme Lord)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Lord’s ornaments and their spiritual meaning?

This verse explains that the Lord’s garland, clothing, thread, earrings, and crown are not ordinary decorations—they symbolically represent His māyā, the Vedic chandas, the threefold Vedic sound, the disciplines of Sāṅkhya and Yoga, and His supreme position that grants fearlessness to all beings.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe Sāṅkhya and Yoga as the Lord’s earrings?

Śukadeva presents Sāṅkhya (true analysis of reality) and Yoga (practical spiritual discipline) as inseparable from the Lord—like earrings worn on His body—showing these teachings ultimately belong to Him and lead the seeker toward Him.

Practical application: how can this verse help in modern spiritual life?

It teaches to see spiritual meaning behind sacred symbols and to integrate both understanding (Sāṅkhya) and practice (Yoga) while taking shelter of the Lord’s supreme position, which is described as the source of fearlessness.