Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 6

Varṇāśrama-Dharma and the Thirty Qualities of a Human Being

Devanagari script

योऽवतीर्यात्मनोंऽशेन दाक्षायण्यां तु धर्मत: । लोकानां स्वस्तयेऽध्यास्ते तपो बदरिकाश्रमे ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

yo ’vatīryātmano ’ṁśena dākṣāyaṇyāṁ tu dharmataḥ lokānāṁ svastaye ’dhyāste tapo badarikāśrame

Translation

Lord Nārāyaṇa, along with His partial manifestation Nara, appeared in this world through the daughter of Dakṣa Mahārāja known as Mūrti. He was begotten by Dharma Mahārāja for the benefit of all living entities. Even now, He is still engaged in executing great austerities near the place known as Badarikāśrama.

Synonyms

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद्, सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• avatīrya: having descended
• avatīrya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-√tṝ (तॄ—to cross/descend, धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्) with उपसर्ग ava-; indeclinable verbal form

• ātmanaḥ: of himself
• ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (आत्मन्, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• aṁśena: by a portion (partial expansion)
• aṁśena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṁśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• dākṣāyaṇyām: in Dākṣāyaṇī (Aditi)
• dākṣāyaṇyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dākṣāyaṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन)

• tu: indeed, but
• tu: Sambandha-sūcaka (सम्बन्धसूचक/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (निपात), contrast/emphasis

• dharmataḥ: according to dharma, rightly
• dharmataḥ: Hetu/Prakāra (हेतु/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dharmatas (धर्मतः, अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; tasil-derivative adverb (तसिल्-प्रत्यय), 'according to dharma'

• lokānām: of the worlds/people
• lokānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन)

• svastaye: for welfare
• svastaye: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Beneficiary purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svasti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular (एकवचन)

• adhyāste: dwells, resides
• adhyāste: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: adhi-√ās (आस्—to sit/dwell, धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्/Present), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object—cognate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); used as internal object with adhyāste (tapas āste)

• badarikā-āśrame: in the Badarikā hermitage
• badarikā-āśrame: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: badarikā-āśrama (बदरीका + आश्रम, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: badarikāyāḥ āśramaḥ); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन)

Characters & Entities

• Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi
• Dākṣāyaṇī

FAQs

Who is Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi in the Srimad Bhagavatam?

He is a divine incarnation/partial expansion of the Lord who resides at Badarikāśrama, performing austerities for the welfare of all worlds.

Why does the Bhagavatam say the Lord performs tapasya at Badarikāśrama?

This verse explains that His austerity is not for personal gain, but to bless and protect the worlds (lokānāṁ svastaye) and uphold dharma.

How can I apply the teaching of this shloka in modern life?

Practice disciplined living and purposeful self-restraint (tapas) not merely for self-improvement, but to create well-being for family, society, and spiritual life.