Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 75

Diti’s Puṁsavana Vow, Indra’s Intervention, and the Birth of the Maruts

Devanagari script

आराध्यात्मप्रदं देवं स्वात्मानं जगदीश्वरम् । को वृणीत गुणस्पर्शं बुध: स्यान्नरकेऽपि यत् ॥ ७५ ॥

Transliteration

ārādhyātma-pradaṁ devaṁ svātmānaṁ jagad-īśvaram ko vṛṇīta guṇa-sparśaṁ budhaḥ syān narake ’pi yat

Translation

The ultimate goal of all ambitions is to become a servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If an intelligent man serves the most dear Lord, who gives Himself to His devotees, how can he desire material happiness, which is available even in hell?

Synonyms

• ārādhya: having worshipped
• ārādhya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ārādh (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), indeclinable verbal form; ‘having worshipped’

• ātma-pradam: bestowing the self (spiritual realization)
• ātma-pradam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + prada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष sense: ‘ātmaṁ pradadāti iti’ = giving the self/spiritual self

• devam: the Lord
• devam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• svātmānam: one’s own self
• svātmānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; ‘one’s own self’

• jagad-īśvaram: the Lord of the universe
• jagad-īśvaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; ‘lord of the world’

• kaḥ: who
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; interrogative pronoun

• vṛṇīta: would choose
• vṛṇīta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛ (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• guṇa-sparśam: contact with material qualities
• guṇa-sparśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + sparśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; ‘contact with the modes/qualities’

• budhaḥ: a wise person
• budhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: budha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• syāt: would be
• syāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• narake: in hell
• narake: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• api: even
• api: Sambandha/Avadhāraṇa (सम्बन्ध/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), concessive/emphatic ‘even/also’

• yat: since/that
• yat: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; relative pronoun; here causal/relative sense ‘since/that’

Purport

An intelligent man will never aspire to become a devotee to achieve material happiness. That is the test of a devotee. As Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches:

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about transcending the three gunas (modes of nature)?

This verse teaches that one who has truly worshiped the Supreme Lord—giver of self-realization—no longer chooses contact with the material modes, even under extreme conditions.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī emphasize avoiding guṇa-sparśa (contact with material modes)?

Because devotion meant for liberation naturally produces detachment; choosing the modes again is seen as spiritually irrational for one seeking the Lord.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Prioritize bhakti and self-discipline so that attraction to passion and ignorance weakens—choose habits that increase clarity (sattva) and devotion rather than sense-driven impulses.