Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 4

Devotion in Kimpuruṣa-varṣa and the Glory of Bhārata-varṣa

Rāmacandra & Nara-Nārāyaṇa; Rivers, Varṇāśrama, and Liberation

Devanagari script

यत्तद्विशुद्धानुभवमात्रमेकं स्वतेजसा ध्वस्तगुणव्यवस्थम् । प्रत्यक्प्रशान्तं सुधियोपलम्भनं ह्यनामरूपं निरहं प्रपद्ये ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

yat tad viśuddhānubhava-mātram ekaṁ sva-tejasā dhvasta-guṇa-vyavastham pratyak praśāntaṁ sudhiyopalambhanaṁ hy anāma-rūpaṁ nirahaṁ prapadye

Translation

ذلك الربّ الواحد، المحضُ تجربةً طاهرة، الذي بنوره الذاتي أبطل نظام الغونات، ساكنٌ إلى الباطن ولا يُدرَك إلا بالعقل المُطهَّر—متعالٍ عن الاسم والصورة والأنا—إليه، إلى قدمي شري رامَچندرا اللوتسيتين، ألجأ وأستسلم.

Synonyms

• yat: that which
• yat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun (correlative)

• viśuddha-anubhava-mātram: mere pure consciousness/experience
• viśuddha-anubhava-mātram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśuddha (विशुद्ध, विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक) + anubhava (अनुभव, प्रातिपदिक) + mātra (मात्र, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); समास: षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः—‘विशुद्धः अनुभवः’ इति, तस्य ‘मात्रम्’

• ekam: one, single
• ekam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (एक, संख्याविशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying the subject

• sva-tejasā: by its own radiance
• sva-tejasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (स्व, प्रातिपदिक) + tejas (तेजस्, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); ‘by its own splendor/power’

• dhvasta-guṇa-vyavastham: with the guṇas’ arrangement dissolved
• dhvasta-guṇa-vyavastham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhvasta (ध्वस्त, कृदन्त/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक) + guṇa (गुण, प्रातिपदिक) + vyavasthā (व्यवस्था, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); adjective to the object; ‘whose guṇa-arrangement is destroyed’

• pratyak: inward, turned within
• pratyak: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pratyak (प्रत्यक्, अव्यय/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); ‘inward-facing’ (as adjective)

• praśāntam: perfectly tranquil
• praśāntam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: praśānta (प्रशान्त, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); past participial adjective

• su-dhiyā-upalambhanam: realizable by refined intellect
• su-dhiyā-upalambhanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su (सु, उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + dhī (धी, प्रातिपदिक) + upalambhana (उपलम्भन, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); समास: ‘सुधिया’ (instrumental sense) + ‘उपलम्भनम्’ = ‘attainable/realizable by good intellect’

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (हि, अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) expressing emphasis/indeed

• anāma-rūpam: without name and form
• anāma-rūpam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an- (अन्, नञ्) + nāma (नाम, प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (रूप, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); द्वन्द्व: ‘nāma ca rūpa ca’ with negation—‘without name and form’

• niraham: without ego-sense
• niraham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir- (निर्, उपसर्ग) + aham (अहम्, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); ‘without ego/I-notion’

• prapadye: I take refuge / I surrender
• prapadye: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-pad (प्र√पद्, धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

Purport

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, appears in various expansions, as stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.39) :

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about realizing the Supreme beyond the three guṇas?

This verse describes the Supreme Reality as self-luminous pure consciousness that, by its own power, dispels the entire framework of material qualities (sattva, rajas, tamas), and is realized inwardly by the wise.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe the Absolute as “without name and form” (anāma-rūpa)?

He emphasizes that the ultimate Truth is not a product of material designation; it is beyond material naming and shaping, and is approached through purified inner realization rather than external labels.

How can I apply “pratyak-praśānta” (inward peace) in modern life?

Cultivate inward stillness through regular sādhana—hearing sacred texts, meditation on the Self/Supreme, and reducing ego-driven reactions—so discernment becomes clear and peace arises from within rather than circumstances.