Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 34

Guṇa-vibhāga: The Three Modes and the Path Beyond Them

Devanagari script

नि:सङ्गो मां भजेद् विद्वानप्रमत्तो जितेन्द्रिय: । रजस्तमश्चाभिजयेत् सत्त्वसंसेवया मुनि: ॥ ३४ ॥

Transliteration

niḥsaṅgo māṁ bhajed vidvān apramatto jitendriyaḥ rajas tamaś cābhijayet sattva-saṁsevayā muniḥ

Translation

A wise sage, free from all material association and unbewildered, should subdue his senses and worship Me. He should conquer the modes of passion and ignorance by engaging himself only with things in the mode of goodness.

Synonyms

• निःसङ्गः: detached
• निःसङ्गः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निःसङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक: निः + सङ्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव (निः = without + सङ्ग)

• माम्: Me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• भजेत्: should worship
• भजेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विद्वान्: a learned man
• विद्वान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक; from √विद् (धातु) with वस्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अप्रमत्तः: unbewildered/vigilant
• अप्रमत्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्रमत्त (प्रातिपदिक: अ- + प्रमत्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• जितेन्द्रियः: one who has conquered the senses
• जितेन्द्रियः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जितेन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक: जित + इन्द्रिय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (इन्द्रियाणि जितानि यस्य = having conquered the senses)

• रजः: rajas
• रजः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तमः: tamas
• तमः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अभिजयेत्: should overcome
• अभिजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√जि (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सत्त्व-संसेवया: by cultivation of sattva
• सत्त्व-संसेवया: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसेवा (प्रातिपदिक: सम्-√सेव् (धातु) + अ/आ) with सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सत्त्वस्य संसेवा = cultivation of sattva)

• मुनिः: a sage
• मुनिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about overcoming rajas and tamas?

This verse teaches that by vigilant devotion to Kṛṣṇa, sense control, and deliberate cultivation of sattva (goodness), one can conquer passion (rajas) and ignorance (tamas).

Why did Krishna say this instruction, and to whom in Canto 11?

In Canto 11 (Uddhava Gītā context), Kṛṣṇa instructs His devotee Uddhava on practical sādhana—how a wise person should worship with detachment and rise above the lower modes.

Practical application of detachment and sattva in modern life according to this shloka?

Reduce unhealthy sense-driven habits, stay mindful (aprāmāda), choose uplifting company and routines (sattva), and center daily life on devotional service to Kṛṣṇa.