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Shloka 36

The Lord’s Advent: Yoga-māyā’s Mission, Saṅkarṣaṇa’s Transfer, and the Demigods’ Prayers

न नामरूपे गुणजन्मकर्मभि- र्निरूपितव्ये तव तस्य साक्षिण: । मनोवचोभ्यामनुमेयवर्त्मनो देव क्रियायां प्रतियन्त्यथापि हि ॥ ३६ ॥

na nāma-rūpe guṇa-janma-karmabhir nirūpitavye tava tasya sākṣiṇaḥ mano-vacobhyām anumeya-vartmano deva kriyāyāṁ pratiyanty athāpi hi

يا ربّ، إن الذين يسلكون طريق التخمين بالعقل واللسان لا يستطيعون تعيين اسمك وصورتك ولا صفاتك وميلادك وأفعالك، لأنك الشاهد على كل شيء. غير أنّ معرفتك الحقّة لا تُنال إلا بخدمة المحبّة التعبدية (بهكتي).

not
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध (negation)
नामname
नाम:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootनामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन; paired with रूपे
रूपेform
रूपे:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन; with नाम
गुण-जन्म-कर्मभिःby qualities, birth, and actions
गुण-जन्म-कर्मभिः:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootगुण (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसक-समाहार, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व
निरूपितव्येto be described/defined
निरूपितव्ये:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootनिर्-रूप् (धातु) + तव्य (कृत् प्रत्यय)
Formतव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन; agrees with नाम-रूपे; ‘to be defined/described’
तवof you
तव:
Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन
तस्यof him/that
तस्य:
Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; refers to ‘of that (Lord)’
साक्षिणःof the witness
साक्षिणः:
Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootसाक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; ‘of the witness’
मनः-वचोभ्याम्by mind and speech
मनः-वचोभ्याम्:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootमनस् (प्रातिपदिक) + वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसक-समाहार, तृतीया (Instrumental), द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व
अनुमेय-वर्त्मनःof (him) whose path is inferable
अनुमेय-वर्त्मनः:
Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootअनुमेय (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + वर्त्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अनुमेयस्य वर्त्मनः = whose path is inferable)
देवO Lord
देव:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
TypeNoun
Rootदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative), एकवचन
क्रियायाम्in action/ritual activity
क्रियायाम्:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootक्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन
प्रतियन्तिthey approach/attain
प्रतियन्ति:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootप्रति-इ (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद
अथthen/indeed
अथ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ (अव्यय)
Formअनन्तर/उपक्रम (then/indeed)
अपिeven/also
अपि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formसम्भावना/अप्यर्थ (also/even)
हिindeed/for
हि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formनिश्चय/हेतौ (indeed/for)

As stated in the Padma Purāṇa:

D
Devas
L
Lord Vishnu
K
Krishna
D
Devaki

FAQs

This verse says the Supreme Lord, the witness of all, cannot be fully defined by name, form, qualities, birth, or actions; He transcends mental and verbal description.

Because Krishna is the transcendental witness beyond material categories; the demigods admit His inconceivability while praising that He still becomes knowable through His own divine activities.

Approach spirituality with humility: instead of trying to “box” the Divine into concepts, study the Lord’s deeds and teachings with devotion, letting transformation come through bhakti and sincere practice.