Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 22

Nārada Instructs Dakṣa’s Sons; Allegory of the World; Dakṣa Curses Nārada

Devanagari script

स्वरब्रह्मणि निर्भातहृषीकेशपदाम्बुजे । अखण्डं चित्तमावेश्य लोकाननुचरन्मुनि: ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

svara-brahmaṇi nirbhāta- hṛṣīkeśa-padāmbuje akhaṇḍaṁ cittam āveśya lokān anucaran muniḥ

Translation

The seven musical notes — ṣa, ṛ, gā, ma, pa, dha and ni — are used in musical instruments, but originally they come from the Sāma Veda. The great sage Nārada vibrates sounds describing the pastimes of the Supreme Lord. By such transcendental vibrations, such as Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, he fixes his mind at the lotus feet of the Lord. Thus he directly perceives Hṛṣīkeśa, the master of the senses. After delivering the Haryaśvas, Nārada Muni continued traveling throughout the planetary systems, his mind always fixed at the lotus feet of the Lord.

Synonyms

• स्वरब्रह्मणि: in the sound-Brahman
• स्वरब्रह्मणि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर + ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; Locative singular; ‘in the sound-Brahman (Vedic sound)’

• निर्भात: manifest/shining
• निर्भात: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्भात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √भा with नि: prefix)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th), एकवचन; used as first member in compound; ‘shining/manifest’

• हृषीकेशपदाम्बुजे: in the lotus-feet of Hṛṣīkeśa
• हृषीकेशपदाम्बुजे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृषीकेश + पद + अम्बुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th), एकवचन; Locative singular; ‘in the lotus of Hṛṣīkeśa’s feet’

• अखण्डम्: unbroken/undivided
• अखण्डम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd), एकवचन; Accusative singular; qualifies चित्तम्

• चित्तम्: mind
• चित्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd), एकवचन; Accusative singular

• आवेश्य: having absorbed/fixed
• आवेश्य: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund); ‘having fixed/absorbed (it)’

• लोकान्: worlds/people
• लोकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd), बहुवचन; Accusative plural

• अनुचरन्: wandering
• अनुचरन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-चर् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन; ‘wandering/following’

• मुनिः: the sage
• मुनिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन; Nominative singular

Purport

The goodness of the great sage Nārada Muni is described herewith. He always chants about the pastimes of the Lord and delivers the fallen souls back to Godhead. In this regard, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung:

Characters & Entities

• Hṛṣīkeśa
• Nārada Muni

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about staying fixed in devotion while living in the world?

This verse describes a sage whose consciousness remains uninterruptedly absorbed in Hṛṣīkeśa’s lotus feet even while he moves among the worlds—showing that steady bhakti can continue amid outward activity.

Why is Nārada Muni described as wandering through the worlds in Bhagavatam 6.5?

In this chapter, Nārada instructs Dakṣa’s sons; as a liberated devotee, he travels freely to awaken devotion, while remaining fully absorbed in the Lord.

Practical application of uninterrupted remembrance (akhaṇḍa-citta) in modern life?

Keep the mind anchored in devotion through regular nāma-japa/kīrtana and remembrance of the Lord’s service, so daily duties happen without losing inner connection to Kṛṣṇa.