Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 76

Nārada’s Instructions: Śrāddha, True Dharma, Contentment, Yoga, and Devotion-Centered Renunciation

Devanagari script

स वा अयं ब्रह्म महद्विमृग्य कैवल्यनिर्वाणसुखानुभूति: । प्रिय: सुहृद् व: खलु मातुलेय आत्मार्हणीयो विधिकृद्गुरुश्च ॥ ७६ ॥

Transliteration

sa vā ayaṁ brahma mahad-vimṛgya- kaivalya-nirvāṇa-sukhānubhūtiḥ priyaḥ suhṛd vaḥ khalu mātuleya ātmārhaṇīyo vidhi-kṛd guruś ca

Translation

ما أعجب هذا! إن شري كريشنا، البَرَبْرَهْمَن الذي ينشده العظماء من الحكماء طلبًا للتحرر ونعيم النيرفانا، هو بعينه خيرُ ناصحٍ لكم، وصديقُكم، وابنُ خالكم، وروحُ قلوبكم، والمرشدُ المعبود، والمعلّمُ الروحي.

Synonyms

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• vā: indeed; surely
• vā: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प/अनुनासिक-निपात (emphatic/alternative particle; here emphatic)

• ayam: this (person)
• ayam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• brahma: Brahman; the Absolute
• brahma: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समानााधिकरण (in apposition to saḥ/ayam)

• mahat-vimṛgyam: greatly to be sought after
• mahat-vimṛgyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat + vimṛgya (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; √mṛg (मृग् धातु) + यत्/ण्यत् (gerundive sense: 'to be sought'); विशेषण ब्रह्मणः

• kaivalya-nirvāṇa-sukha-anubhūtiḥ: the experience of the bliss of liberation (kaivalya-nirvāṇa)
• kaivalya-nirvāṇa-sukha-anubhūtiḥ: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaivalya + nirvāṇa + sukha + anubhūti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः (determinative): 'कैवल्य-निर्वाण-सुखस्य अनुभूतिः'

• priyaḥ: dear
• priyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण सः/अयम्

• suhṛt: well-wisher; friend
• suhṛt: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suhṛd (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; प्रातिपदिक-विशेष (stem in -d; nom. sg. suhṛt)

• vaḥ: of you; your
• vaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), बहुवचन; 'of you'

• khalu: indeed; certainly
• khalu: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: khalu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक निपात (particle of assurance)

• mātuleyaḥ: maternal cousin; (here) your cousin
• mātuleyaḥ: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātuleya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ātma-arhaṇīyaḥ: worthy of worship (in himself)
• ātma-arhaṇīyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ātman + arhaṇīya (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; √arh (अर्ह् धातु) + अनीयर् (anīyar, 'worthy'); 'आत्मना अर्हणीयः' / 'worthy of worship in himself'

• vidhi-kṛt: ordainer of the law; rule-maker
• vidhi-kṛt: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vidhi + kṛt (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'विधिं करोति' इति (one who establishes/ordains rule)

• guruḥ: teacher; guru
• guruḥ: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

Purport

Kṛṣṇa can become the director and spiritual master of anyone who is serious about getting the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. The Lord sends the spiritual master to train a devotee, and when the devotee is advanced, the Lord acts as the spiritual master within his heart.

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Yudhishthira Maharaja

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna being Brahman?

This verse states that Krishna is the Supreme Brahman, sought by great sages, and realized as the bliss of liberation—yet He is also a personal well-wisher and worthy of worship as the Self.

Why did Prahlada Maharaja call Krishna the guru and maker of injunctions (vidhi-krt)?

Prahlada emphasizes that all dharma and spiritual guidance ultimately originate from the Supreme Lord; therefore Krishna is both the source of sacred rules and the ultimate spiritual master.

How can this shloka be applied in modern life?

See God not as distant, but as your closest well-wisher; practice devotion with trust that the Supreme guides your life, and align daily choices with dharma as taught by genuine spiritual instruction.