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Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvitiya Skandha, Shloka 3

Bhagavān’s Avatāras, Their Protections (Poṣaṇa), and the Limits of Knowing Him

जज्ञे च कर्दमगृहे द्विज देवहूत्यां स्त्रीभि: समं नवभिरात्मगतिं स्वमात्रे । ऊचे ययात्मशमलं गुणसङ्गपङ्क- मस्मिन् विधूय कपिलस्य गतिं प्रपेदे ॥ ३ ॥

jajñe ca kardama-gṛhe dvija devahūtyāṁ strībhiḥ samaṁ navabhir ātma-gatiṁ sva-mātre ūce yayātma-śamalaṁ guṇa-saṅga-paṅkam asmin vidhūya kapilasya gatiṁ prapede

ثم ظهر الربّ كأوتار كَپِلا، ابنِ البرهمن البرجاپتي كَردَم وزوجته دِيوَهوتي، ومعه تسع بنات. وقد علّم أمَّه طريق معرفة الذات؛ فغسلت في هذه الحياة نفسها طينَ التعلّق بالغونات، وبلغت التحرّر، طريق كَپِلا.

जज्ञेwas born
जज्ञे:
Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootजन् (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: √जन् ‘to be born’
and
:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय (Conjunction)
कर्दम-गृहेin Kardama’s house
कर्दम-गृहे:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
TypeNoun
Rootकर्दम (प्रातिपदिक) + गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘in Kardama’s house’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सप्तमी
द्विजO brāhmaṇa
द्विज:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootद्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सम्बोधन (Vocative)
देवहूत्याम्in Devahūti
देवहूत्याम्:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
TypeNoun
Rootदेवहूति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सप्तमी (Locative)
स्त्रीभिःwith women
स्त्रीभिः:
Sahakāraka (सह/साकं)
TypeNoun
Rootस्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, तृतीया (Instrumental/associative)
समम्together
समम्:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसमम् (अव्यय)
Formसहार्थक-अव्यय (Adverb: ‘together/equally’)
नवभिःwith nine
नवभिः:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootनवन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसंख्यावाचक-विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, तृतीया; विशेषणं ‘स्त्रीभिः’
आत्म-गतिम्the path/goal of the self
आत्म-गतिम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + गति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष (‘self-realization/goal of self’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया
स्व-मात्रेto his own mother
स्व-मात्रे:
Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
TypeNoun
Rootस्व (प्रातिपदिक) + मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय (‘own mother’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, चतुर्थी (Dative)
ऊचेhe spoke
ऊचे:
Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: √वच् ‘to speak’
ययाby which
यया:
Karana (करण/Instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, तृतीया (Instrumental)
आत्म-शमलम्the self’s impurity
आत्म-शमलम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + शमल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष (‘impurity of the self’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया
गुण-सङ्ग-पङ्कम्the mire of attachment to the guṇas
गुण-सङ्ग-पङ्कम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeNoun
Rootगुण (प्रातिपदिक) + सङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + पङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष (‘the mire of attachment to guṇas’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया; विशेषणं ‘आत्म-शमलम्’
अस्मिन्in this (world/body/context)
अस्मिन्:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
TypeNoun
Rootइदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सप्तमी (Locative)
विधूयhaving shaken off
विधूय:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवि + धू (धातु)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive) from √धू ‘to shake off’ with वि-; अर्थे ‘having shaken off’
कपिलस्यof Kapila
कपिलस्य:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootकपिल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, षष्ठी
गतिम्the path/attainment
गतिम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootगति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया
प्रपेदेattained
प्रपेदे:
Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + पद् (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: √पद् ‘to go/attain’ with प्र-

The instructions of Lord Kapila to His mother Devahūti are fully described in the Third Canto (Chapters 25-32) of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and anyone who follows the instructions can achieve the same liberation obtained by Devahūti. The Lord spoke Bhagavad-gītā, and thereby Arjuna achieved self-realization, and even today anyone who follows the path of Arjuna can also attain the same benefit as Śrī Arjuna. The scriptures are meant for this purpose. Foolish, unintelligent persons make their own interpretations by imagination and thus mislead their followers, causing them to remain in the dungeon of material existence. However, simply by following the instructions imparted by Lord Kṛṣṇa or Lord Kapila, one can obtain the highest benefit, even today.

K
Kardama Muni
D
Devahūti
L
Lord Kapila

FAQs

This verse states that the Lord appeared as Kapila in the home of the brāhmaṇa Kardama through Devahūti, and taught His mother the path of self-realization leading to liberation.

Because Devahūti, as His mother, sought freedom from material entanglement; Kapila instructed her so she could wash away the impurity born of association with the material modes and attain the Lord’s supreme destination.

By reducing identity with habits and environments that intensify passion and ignorance, and adopting sādhana—hearing sacred teachings, cultivating devotion, and practicing inner discipline—to purify consciousness toward the self and the Lord.