Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 23

Nārada’s Arrival, the Nine Yogendras, and the Foundations of Bhāgavata-dharma

Devanagari script

अव्याहतेष्टगतय: सुरसिद्धसाध्य- गन्धर्वयक्षनरकिन्नरनागलोकान् । मुक्ताश्चरन्ति मुनिचारणभूतनाथ- विद्याधरद्विजगवां भुवनानि कामम् ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

avyāhateṣṭa-gatayaḥ sura-siddha-sādhya- gandharva-yakṣa-nara-kinnara-nāga-lokān muktāś caranti muni-cāraṇa-bhūtanātha- vidyādhara-dvija-gavāṁ bhuvanāni kāmam

Translation

The nine Yogendras are liberated souls who travel freely to the planets of the demigods, the perfected mystics, the Sādhyas, the heavenly musicians, the Yakṣas, the human beings, and the minor demigods such as the Kinnaras and the serpents. No mundane force can check their free movement, and exactly as they wish they can travel as well to the worlds of the sages, the angels, the ghostly followers of Lord Śiva, the Vidyādharas, the brāhmaṇas and the cows.

Synonyms

• अव्याहतेष्टगतयः: whose desired movements are unobstructed
• अव्याहतेष्टगतयः: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier of ‘मुक्ताः’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्याहत-इष्ट-गति (प्रातिपदिक; अव्याहत + इष्ट + गति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (अव्याहता इष्टा गतिः येषाम्)

• सुरसिद्धसाध्यगन्धर्वयक्षनरकिन्नरनागलोकान्: the worlds of gods, siddhas, sādhyas, gandharvas, yakṣas, humans, kinnaras, and nāgas
• सुरसिद्धसाध्यगन्धर्वयक्षनरकिन्नरनागलोकान्: कर्म (Karma/Object: places reached)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर-सिद्ध-साध्य-गन्धर्व-यक्ष-नर-किन्नर-नाग-लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समाहार/सूची-समासप्रायः (विविधलोकान्)

• मुक्ताः: liberated (ones)
• मुक्ताः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्त (प्रातिपदिक; √मुच्-क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

• चरन्ति: they roam
• चरन्ति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चर् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• मुनिचारणभूतनाथविद्याधरद्विजगवाम्: of sages, cāraṇas, lords of beings, vidyādharas, brāhmaṇas, and cows
• मुनिचारणभूतनाथविद्याधरद्विजगवाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation to ‘भुवनानि’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि-चारण-भूतनाथ-विद्याधर-द्विज-गव् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समाहारः (मुनयः च चारणाः च भूतनाथाः च विद्याधराः च द्विजाः च गावः च—तेषाम्)

• भुवनानि: worlds, abodes
• भुवनानि: कर्म (Karma/Object: realms traversed)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• कामम्: at will, as they please
• कामम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कामम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) = यथेष्टम् (at will)

Characters & Entities

• Nimi
• Nine Yogendras

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the freedom of liberated souls?

This verse explains that liberated beings (muktas) can move unobstructed and travel at will through many planetary realms and species of higher beings, indicating freedom from material limitation.

Why is this teaching spoken in the dialogue of King Nimi and the Nine Yogendras?

In Canto 11 Chapter 2, the Nine Yogendras instruct King Nimi about devotion and spiritual perfection; describing the liberated state highlights the results of transcendence beyond material bondage.

Practical application of this verse in modern life?

It encourages cultivating genuine spiritual liberation—through devotion and detachment—so that one seeks inner freedom from बाधा (obstruction) like fear, craving, and ego, rather than merely external control.