Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 36

Aditi’s Lament and Kaśyapa’s Instruction of the Payo-vrata (Milk Vow) to Please Keśava

Devanagari script

त्वं सर्ववरद: पुंसां वरेण्य वरदर्षभ । अतस्ते श्रेयसे धीरा: पादरेणुमुपासते ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

tvaṁ sarva-varadaḥ puṁsāṁ vareṇya varadarṣabha atas te śreyase dhīrāḥ pāda-reṇum upāsate

Translation

O erhabener, verehrungswürdiger Herr, der Beste unter den Segensspendern! Du erfüllst die Wünsche aller; darum verehren die Besonnenen zu ihrem Heil den Staub Deiner Lotosfüße.

Synonyms

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• sarva-varadaḥ: the giver of all boons
• sarva-varadaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + varada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; Tatpuruṣa: sarveṣāṁ varadaḥ = ‘giver of boons to all’

• puṁsām: of men/of people
• puṁsām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṁs (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vareṇya: O most worthy
• vareṇya: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vareṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; adjective used in address

• varada-ṛṣabha: O best of boon-givers
• varada-ṛṣabha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varada (प्रातिपदिक) + ṛṣabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th), Singular; Tatpuruṣa/Karmadhāraya sense: ‘bull among boon-givers’

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Hetu/Reason (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb (कारण/निगमनार्थ): ‘therefore/from that’

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Dative (4th), Singular

• śreyase: for the highest good
• śreyase: Prayojana/Purpose (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śreyas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Dative (4th), Singular

• dhīrāḥ: the steadfast/wise (people)
• dhīrāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural

• pāda-reṇum: the dust of (your) feet
• pāda-reṇum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक) + reṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; Tatpuruṣa: pādasya reṇuḥ = ‘dust of the feet’

• upāsate: worship/attend upon
• upāsate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-ās (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

Characters & Entities

• Aditi
• Lord Viṣṇu

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about worshiping the dust of the Lord’s lotus feet?

This verse teaches that wise devotees seeking the highest welfare (śreyas) revere even the dust of the Lord’s lotus feet, indicating complete humility and wholehearted shelter in God.

Why did Aditi praise Lord Viṣṇu as the giver of all benedictions?

Aditi is praying for divine protection and the restoration of cosmic balance; she acknowledges Viṣṇu as the supreme benefactor whose shelter grants both worldly relief and the ultimate spiritual good.

Practical application of taking shelter of the Lord’s lotus feet in modern life?

Cultivate steadiness (dhīra) by prioritizing devotion—regular prayer, chanting, and service—while adopting humility and seeking guidance from genuine devotees, rather than relying solely on temporary material solutions.