Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 11

Arcana-vidhi: The Method of Deity Worship

Vedic, Tantric, and Mixed

Devanagari script

सन्ध्योपास्त्यादिकर्माणि वेदेनाचोदितानि मे । पूजां तै: कल्पयेत् सम्यक् सङ्कल्प: कर्मपावनीम् ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

sandhyopāstyādi-karmāṇi vedenācoditāni me pūjāṁ taiḥ kalpayet samyak- saṅkalpaḥ karma-pāvanīm

Translation

Fixing the mind on Me, one should worship Me by his various prescribed duties, such as chanting the Gāyatrī mantra at the three junctures of the day. Such performances are enjoined by the Vedas and purify the worshiper of reactions to fruitive activities.

Synonyms

• sandhyā-upāsti-ādi-karmāṇi: acts such as sandhyā-worship, etc.
• sandhyā-upāsti-ādi-karmāṇi: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sandhyā (प्रातिपदिक) + upāsti (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास-समूह (Tatpuruṣa chain: “acts such as sandhyā-worship etc.”); karman = नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन (Plural)

• vedena: by the Veda
• vedena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• acoditāni: not enjoined (by the Veda)
• acoditāni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a + codita (कृदन्त, √cud “to impel/command”)
• Form: नञ्-समास/उपसर्ग (negation a-); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन (Plural)

• me: of me / my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम (1st person pronoun), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• pūjām: worship
• pūjām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• taiḥ: with those (acts)
• taiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तद्-सर्वनाम (demonstrative pronoun), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• kalpayet: should arrange/perform
• kalpayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kḷp (कॢप् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• samyak: properly
• samyak: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samyak (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: “properly, correctly”)

• saṅkalpaḥ: (with) intention/resolve
• saṅkalpaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṅkalpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• karma-pāvanīm: purifying (one’s) actions
• karma-pāvanīm: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: karma (प्रातिपदिक) + pāvanī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpuruṣa: “purifying (one’s) actions”); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), pūjām इति विशेषण (qualifies “pūjā”)

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about sandhyā worship and Deity worship (arcana)?

This verse says that Vedic duties like sandhyā prayers, when used to properly worship the Lord with sincere resolve, become a means to purify one’s actions.

Why does Kṛṣṇa instruct about Vedic rites in Canto 11 Chapter 27?

In this chapter Kṛṣṇa teaches the method and spirit of arcana; He explains that Vedic practices can be harmonized into devotion when they are performed as worship of Him, with proper intention.

Practical application of saṅkalpa (sincere resolve) in modern devotional life?

Before daily practice—japa, prayer, or temple worship—set a clear intention that the act is for the Lord’s pleasure; this devotional purpose helps transform routine actions into purifying bhakti.