Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 20

Devas in Dvārakā, Brahmā’s Petition, and Uddhava’s Appeal

Prabhāsa Departure Set-Up

Devanagari script

श्रीबादरायणिरुवाच इत्यभिष्टूय विबुधै: सेश: शतधृतिर्हरिम् । अभ्यभाषत गोविन्दं प्रणम्याम्बरमाश्रित: ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

śrī-bādarāyaṇir uvāca ity abhiṣṭūya vibudhaiḥ seśaḥ śata-dhṛtir harim abhyabhāṣata govindaṁ praṇamyāmbaram āśritaḥ

Translation

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: After Brahmā, along with Lord Śiva and the other demigods, thus offered prayers to the Supreme Lord, Govinda, Lord Brahmā situated himself in the sky and addressed the Lord as follows.

Synonyms

• śrī: revered/auspicious
• śrī: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Title marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; मंगलसूचक-पूर्वपद (honorific auspicious prefix)

• bādarāyaṇiḥ: Bādarāyaṇi (Śuka)
• bādarāyaṇiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bādarāyaṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

• abhiṣṭūya: having praised
• abhiṣṭūya: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi + stu (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive) — ‘having praised’

• vibudhaiḥ: by the gods/wise beings
• vibudhaiḥ: Sahakārī (सहकारी/Agent-associate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibudha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन (plural)

• sa: he
• sa: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular)

• īśaḥ: the lord (Brahmā)
• īśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular)

• śatadhṛtiḥ: Śatadhṛti (Brahmā)
• śatadhṛtiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata + dhṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular) — epithet of Brahmā; तत्पुरुषः

• harim: Hari
• harim: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (singular)

• abhyabhāṣata: addressed/spoke to
• abhyabhāṣata: Kriyā (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi + bhāṣ (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• govindam: Govinda
• govindam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: govinda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (singular)

• praṇamya: having bowed
• praṇamya: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + nam (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund) — ‘having bowed’

• ambaram: the sky
• ambaram: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (singular)

• āśritaḥ: having taken refuge in / having resorted to
• āśritaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + śri (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (singular) — ‘having resorted to’

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī (Bādarāyaṇi)
• Hari
• Govinda (Kṛṣṇa)
• Ananta Śeṣa
• Brahmā (Śatadhṛti)
• Vibudhas (sages/demigods)

FAQs

Who is speaking in Srimad Bhagavatam 11.6.20?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī (also called Śrī Bādarāyaṇi) narrates that after the sages praised the Lord, Brahmā (Śatadhṛti) bowed and began to address Govinda.

Why is Brahmā called Śatadhṛti in the Bhagavatam?

Śatadhṛti is an epithet for Brahmā used in the Purāṇas, highlighting his exalted, many-faceted cosmic role; here it identifies Brahmā as the one who offers obeisances and speaks to the Supreme Lord.

Practical application: what does this verse teach a devotee today?

Even the highest beings approach Kṛṣṇa with humility—first offering praise and then bowing—showing that reverence, gratitude, and surrender are the proper mood for prayer and spiritual inquiry.