Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 14

The Glories of Lord Ananta (Śeṣa/Saṅkarṣaṇa) and the Cosmic Foundation Beneath Pātāla

Devanagari script

एता ह्येवेह नृभिरुपगन्तव्या गतयो यथाकर्मविनिर्मिता यथोपदेशमनुवर्णिता: कामान् कामयमानै: ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

etā hy eveha nṛbhir upagantavyā gatayo yathā-karma-vinirmitā yathopadeśam anuvarṇitāḥ kāmān kāmayamānaiḥ.

Translation

My dear King, as I heard of it from my spiritual master, I have fully described to you the creation of this material world according to the fruitive activities and desires of the conditioned souls. Those conditioned souls, who are full of material desires, achieve various situations in different planetary systems, and in this way they live within this material creation.

Synonyms

• etāḥ: these
• etāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; refers to gatiḥ

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle (निपात; emphasis/causal)

• eva: only, just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle (अवधारण-निपात)

• iha: here
• iha: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (देशवाचक)

• nṛbhiḥ: by men/people
• nṛbhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (agent of gerundive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; agent in passive construction

• upagantavyāḥ: to be approached/attained
• upagantavyāḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-√gam (गम् धातु) + tavya (तव्य)
• Form: Gerundive/obligatory participle (तव्य-कृदन्त); Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; agrees with gatiyaḥ

• gatayaḥ: paths/destinations
• gatayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (subject of predicate upagantavyāḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• yathā-karma-vinirmitāḥ: constructed according to one’s actions
• yathā-karma-vinirmitāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + karma (प्रातिपदिक) + vinirmita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: Avyayībhāva with yathā-: 'according to karma'; vinirmitāḥ = PPP (क्त) used adjectivally; Feminine, Nominative, Plural; qualifies gatayaḥ

• yathā-upadeśam: as instructed
• yathā-upadeśam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + upadeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva adverb: 'according to instruction/teaching'

• anuvarṇitāḥ: described in sequence
• anuvarṇitāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anu-√varṇ (वर्ण् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त); Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; qualifies gatayaḥ

• kāmān: desires
• kāmān: Karma (कर्म) (object of kāmayamānaiḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural

• kāmayamānaiḥ: by those who desire
• kāmayamānaiḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (agent: those who desire)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kam (कम् धातु) caus./denom. kāmay (कामय) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ-कृदन्त); Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; 'by those desiring'

Purport

In this regard, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings,

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about how karma determines one’s destination?

This verse states that the various “gatīs” (destinations or states) are fashioned according to one’s own karma, and people reach them by following desire-driven pursuits.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe these destinations to Mahārāja Parīkṣit?

Śukadeva explains the cosmic arrangement to show moral causality—how desire and action lead the jīva to specific experiences—so Parīkṣit can deepen detachment and focus on devotion.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Choose actions aligned with dharma and devotion rather than impulse and craving, because repeated desire-based choices shape future character, suffering, and spiritual progress.