Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 15

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

Devanagari script

ओज:सहोबलयुतं मुख्यतत्त्वं गदां दधत् । अपां तत्त्वं दरवरं तेजस्तत्त्वं सुदर्शनम् ॥ १४ ॥ नभोनिभं नभस्तत्त्वमसिं चर्म तमोमयम् । कालरूपं धनु: शार्ङ्गं तथा कर्ममयेषुधिम् ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

ojaḥ-saho-bala-yutaṁ mukhya-tattvaṁ gadāṁ dadhat apāṁ tattvaṁ dara-varaṁ tejas-tattvaṁ sudarśanam

Translation

The club the Lord carries is the chief element, prāṇa, incorporating the potencies of sensory, mental and physical strength. His excellent conchshell is the element water, His Sudarśana disc the element fire, and His sword, pure as the sky, the element ether. His shield embodies the mode of ignorance, His bow, named Śārṅga, time, and His arrow-filled quiver the working sensory organs.

Synonyms

• ओजःसहोबलयुतम्: endowed with vigor, endurance, and strength
• ओजःसहोबलयुतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ओजस् + सहस् + बल + युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः ‘endowed with vigor, endurance, and strength’

• मुख्यतत्त्वम्: the chief principle
• मुख्यतत्त्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख्य + तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘the principal tattva/element’

• गदाम्: mace
• गदाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दधत्: bearing (holding)
• दधत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘bearing/holding’

• अपाम्: of waters
• अपाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘of waters’

• तत्त्वम्: principle/element
• तत्त्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दरवरम्: Dara-vara (the excellent ‘Dara’)
• दरवरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (दरः एव वरः) ‘the best (weapon) named Dara’

• तेजस्तत्त्वम्: the principle of radiance
• तेजस्तत्त्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् + तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘the principle of brilliance’

• सुदर्शनम्: Sudarśana (discus)
• सुदर्शनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुदर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (चक्रनाम)

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Viṣṇu (the Supreme Lord)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the symbolic meaning of Vishnu’s weapons?

In this verse, Śukadeva explains that Viṣṇu’s weapons correspond to cosmic principles: the club to mahat-tattva, conch to water, Sudarśana to fire, sword to ether, shield to darkness, bow to time, and quiver to karma.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvami describe Vishnu’s bow as time (kāla)?

Because time is the Lord’s irresistible power that governs creation, maintenance, and destruction; identifying the bow as kāla teaches that the Lord directs the unfolding of all events.

How can this teaching about karma and time be applied in modern life?

It encourages mindful action: since karma shapes future experience and time is unstoppable, one should act righteously and dedicate work to God (bhakti) to reduce bondage and cultivate spiritual clarity.