Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 44

Parīkṣit’s Final Absorption, Takṣaka’s Bite, Janamejaya’s Snake Sacrifice, and the Vedic Sound-Lineage

Devanagari script

तेनासौ चतुरो वेदांश्चतुर्भिर्वदनैर्विभु: । सव्याहृतिकान् सोंकारांश्चातुर्होत्रविवक्षया ॥ ४४ ॥

Transliteration

tenāsau caturo vedāṁś caturbhir vadanair vibhuḥ sa-vyāhṛtikān soṁkārāṁś cātur-hotra-vivakṣayā

Translation

All-powerful Brahmā made use of this collection of sounds to produce from his four faces the four Vedas, which appeared together with the sacred oṁkāra and the seven vyāhṛti invocations. His intention was to propagate the process of Vedic sacrifice according to the different functions performed by the priests of each of the four Vedas.

Synonyms

• tena: by that/thereby
• tena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neut.), तृतीया (Instr. 3), एकवचन (sg.)

• asau: that one (he)
• asau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.)

• caturaḥ: four
• caturaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), द्वितीया (Acc. 2), बहुवचन (pl.); संख्याविशेषण

• vedān: Vedas
• vedān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), द्वितीया (Acc. 2), बहुवचन (pl.)

• caturbhiḥ: with four
• caturbhiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (m/n), तृतीया (Instr. 3), बहुवचन (pl.); संख्याविशेषण

• vadanaiḥ: with mouths/faces
• vadanaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neut.), तृतीया (Instr. 3), बहुवचन (pl.)

• vibhuḥ: the all-pervading Lord
• vibhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.); विशेषणरूपेण (epithet: all-pervading)

• sa-vyāhṛtikān: together with the vyāhṛtis
• sa-vyāhṛtikān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (उपसर्ग/सह) + vyāhṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), द्वितीया (Acc. 2), बहुवचन (pl.); समासः—अव्ययीभाव (together with the vyāhṛtis)

• oṁkārān: Oṁ-syllables (oṁkāras)
• oṁkārān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: oṁkāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), द्वितीया (Acc. 2), बहुवचन (pl.)

• cātur-hotra-vivakṣayā: with the intention of expressing the cāturhotra
• cātur-hotra-vivakṣayā: Hetu/Prayojana (हेतु/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cāturhotra (प्रातिपदिक) + vivakṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (fem.), तृतीया (Instr. 3), एकवचन (sg.); समासः—तत्पुरुष (by the intention to express the cāturhotra)

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the origin of the four Vedas?

This verse explains that the four Vedas, along with Oṁ and the vyāhṛtis, were manifested through four mouths to establish the fourfold Vedic recitation used in sacrifice.

Why are Oṁ and the vyāhṛtis mentioned together with the Vedas in Bhagavatam 12.6?

Because they function as foundational sacred utterances in Vedic chanting and yajña, supporting the structure of Vedic recitation (including the fourfold sacrificial system).

How can this teaching be applied in modern spiritual practice?

It highlights that sacred sound (especially Oṁ and Vedic mantras) is a primary means of aligning consciousness with the divine—encouraging disciplined chanting, attentive recitation, and reverence for revealed wisdom.