Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 3

The Lord’s Supervision of Embodiment: Fetal Development, Womb-Suffering, and the Jīva’s Prayer (Garbha-stuti) — and the Trap of Māyā

Devanagari script

मासेन तु शिरो द्वाभ्यां बाह्वङ्‌घ्र्याद्यङ्गविग्रह: । नखलोमास्थिचर्माणि लिङ्गच्छिद्रोद्भवस्त्रिभि: ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

māsena tu śiro dvābhyāṁ bāhv-aṅghry-ādy-aṅga-vigrahaḥ nakha-lomāsthi-carmāṇi liṅga-cchidrodbhavas tribhiḥ

Translation

In the course of a month, a head is formed, and at the end of two months the hands, feet and other limbs take shape. By the end of three months, the nails, fingers, toes, body hair, bones and skin appear, as do the organ of generation and the other apertures in the body, namely the eyes, nostrils, ears, mouth and anus.

Synonyms

• māsena: within a month
• māsena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); time-instrument ‘in a month’

• tu: then/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• śiraḥ: the head
• śiraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• dvābhyām: within two (months)
• dvābhyām: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (Numeral) Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Dual (द्विवचन); time-instrument ‘in two (months)’ (elliptic)

• bāhu-aṅghri-ādi-aṅga-vigrahaḥ: the formation of limbs like arms and legs
• bāhu-aṅghri-ādi-aṅga-vigrahaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāhu (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅghri (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + vigraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa/compound sense: ‘formation of limbs such as arms and legs’

• nakha-loma-asthi-carmāṇi: nails, hair, bones, and skin
• nakha-loma-asthi-carmāṇi: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nakha (प्रातिपदिक) + loma (प्रातिपदिक) + asthi (प्रातिपदिक) + carman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); itaretara-dvandva

• liṅga-chidra-udbhavaḥ: the emergence of the genital opening
• liṅga-chidra-udbhavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + chidra (प्रातिपदिक) + udbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘arising of the genital opening’

• tribhiḥ: within three (months)
• tribhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (Numeral) Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); used adverbially for time ‘in three (months)’ (elliptic)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about fetal development in the womb?

In Canto 3, Chapter 31, Śukadeva describes month-by-month formation of the fetus—first the head, then limbs, and by the third month nails, hair, bones, skin, and bodily openings—showing how the embodied condition unfolds under material nature.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe the body forming month by month?

He explains this to highlight the soul’s entanglement in matter and to inspire detachment (vairāgya) by showing that the body is a constructed material covering, arising through prakṛti under karmic destiny.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Reflecting that the body is a temporary formation helps reduce obsession with appearance and identity, and encourages steady spiritual practice—hearing, chanting, and living with humility and purpose.