Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 13

Bharata Mahārāja’s Ideal Kingship and His Transition from Yajña to Exclusive Bhakti at Pulahāśrama

Devanagari script

इत्थं धृतभगवद्‌व्रत ऐणेयाजिनवाससानुसवनाभिषेकार्द्रकपिशकुटिलजटाकलापेन च विरोचमान: सूर्यर्चा भगवन्तं हिरण्मयं पुरुषमुज्जिहाने सूर्यमण्डलेऽभ्युपतिष्ठन्नेतदु होवाच ॥ १३ ॥

Transliteration

itthaṁ dhṛta-bhagavad-vrata aiṇeyājina-vāsasānusavanābhiṣekārdra-kapiśa-kuṭila-jaṭā-kalāpena ca virocamānaḥ sūryarcā bhagavantaṁ hiraṇmayaṁ puruṣam ujjihāne sūrya-maṇḍale ’bhyupatiṣṭhann etad u hovāca.

Translation

Mahārāja Bharata appeared very beautiful. He had a wealth of curly hair on his head, which was wet from bathing three times daily. He dressed in a deerskin. He worshiped Lord Nārāyaṇa, whose body was composed of golden effulgence and who resided within the sun. Mahārāja Bharata worshiped Lord Nārāyaṇa by chanting the hymns given in the Ṛg Veda, and he recited the following verse as the sun rose.

Synonyms

• ittham: thus
• ittham: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ittham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; manner-adverb

• dhṛta-bhagavat-vrataḥ: having undertaken the Lord’s vow
• dhṛta-bhagavat-vrataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhṛ (धातु)→dhṛta (कृदन्त) + bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक) + vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘धृतं भगवद्व्रतं येन’ = who had undertaken the Lord’s vow

• aiṇeya-ajina-vāsasa-anusavana-abhiṣeka-ārdra-kapiśa-kuṭila-jaṭā-kalāpena: by his tawny curly matted locks damp from daily ablutions (with deer-skin attire)
• aiṇeya-ajina-vāsasa-anusavana-abhiṣeka-ārdra-kapiśa-kuṭila-jaṭā-kalāpena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aiṇeya (प्रातिपदिक) + ajina (प्रातिपदिक) + vāsas (प्रातिपदिक) + anusavana (प्रातिपदिक) + abhiṣeka (प्रातिपदिक) + ārdra (प्रातिपदिक) + kapiśa (प्रातिपदिक) + kuṭila (प्रातिपदिक) + jaṭā (प्रातिपदिक) + kalāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समाससमूहः—‘कलापेन’ (by a mass) qualified: matted hair tawny and curly, damp from thrice-daily ablutions, with deer-skin garment

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; conjunction

• virocamānaḥ: shining
• virocamānaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi√ruc (धातु)→virocamāna (कृदन्त, वर्तमान)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि कृदन्तः—‘shining/appearing splendid’

• sūrya-arcā: the sun-worshipper
• sūrya-arcā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūrya (प्रातिपदिक) + arcā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘worship of the Sun’ / ‘sun-worshipper’ (here as agent-noun)

• bhagavantam: the Lord
• bhagavantam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• hiraṇmayam: golden
• hiraṇmayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hiraṇmaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies puruṣam

• puruṣam: Person (Supreme Person)
• puruṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ujjihāne: at the rising
• ujjihāne: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ud√hā (धातु)→ujjihāna (कृदन्त/स्थानवाचक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘in the rising (place/state)’ i.e., at sunrise/when rising

• sūrya-maṇḍale: in the sun-disc
• sūrya-maṇḍale: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūrya (प्रातिपदिक) + maṇḍala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘in the solar orb’

• abhyupatiṣṭhan: standing in attendance
• abhyupatiṣṭhan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-upa√sthā (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘standing near, worshipping/attending’

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object of ‘said’

• u: indeed
• u: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: u (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; emphatic particle (indeed/just)

• hovāca: said
• hovāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; ho-vāca = ‘said’ (Vedic/epic perfect)

Purport

The predominating Deity within the sun is Hiraṇmaya, Lord Nārāyaṇa. He is worshiped by the Gāyatrī mantra: om bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya dhīmahi. He is also worshiped by other hymns mentioned in the Ṛg Veda, for instance: dhyeyaḥ sadā savitṛ-maṇḍala-madhya-vartī. Within the sun, Lord Nārāyaṇa is situated, and He has a golden hue.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata Mahārāja
• Sūrya (Sun-god)
• Hiraṇmaya Puruṣa (Supreme Person within the sun-disc)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about worshiping the Sun (Surya) as a form of devotion?

This verse shows Bharata Mahārāja worshiping the Sun not as an independent deity, but as the radiant seat of the golden Supreme Person (the Lord) within the solar orb.

Why is Bharata Mahārāja described with deerskin clothing and matted locks in Bhagavatam 5.7.13?

These details indicate his renounced, vow-bound devotional life—regulated purity through thrice-daily bathing and ascetic simplicity while remaining fixed in bhagavad-bhakti.

Practical application of bhagavad-vrata (a vow of devotion) in modern life?

Adopt steady daily spiritual disciplines—consistent prayer, cleanliness, and focused remembrance of the Lord—so devotion becomes a firm vow rather than an occasional mood.