Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 17

Aditi’s Payo-vrata and Viṣṇu’s Promise to Appear as Her Son

Prelude to Vāmana

Devanagari script

अथाप्युपायो मम देवि चिन्त्य: सन्तोषितस्य व्रतचर्यया ते । ममार्चनं नार्हति गन्तुमन्यथा श्रद्धानुरूपं फलहेतुकत्वात् ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

athāpy upāyo mama devi cintyaḥ santoṣitasya vrata-caryayā te mamārcanaṁ nārhati gantum anyathā śraddhānurūpaṁ phala-hetukatvāt

Translation

O Göttin Aditi, durch die Ausübung deines Gelübdes bin Ich zufrieden; darum muss Ich einen Weg finden, dir Gunst zu erweisen. Verehrung Meiner ist niemals vergeblich: sie schenkt gewiss die ersehnte Frucht gemäß Glauben und Verdienst.

Synonyms

• atha: now/then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connecting particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; discourse particle (निपात) = 'now/then'

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (निपात) = 'also/even/indeed'

• upāyaḥ: means, method
• upāyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• mama: of me, my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun

• devi: O goddess
• devi: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular (एकवचन)

• cintyaḥ: to be considered
• cintyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cintya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √cint चिन्त्)
• Form: Gerundive/Potential passive participle (तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्यय; 'to be thought/considered'); Masculine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with upāyaḥ

• santoṣitasya: of the satisfied (one)
• santoṣitasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/qualifier in genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: santoṣita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √tuṣ तुष् with sam-)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त); Masculine/Neuter Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular; 'of (one) satisfied'

• vrata-caryayā: by vow-observance
• vrata-caryayā: Karana (करण/instrument, means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक) + caryā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) 'vratasya caryā' (observance of vow); Feminine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular

• te: of you, your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular; pronoun

• mama: of me, my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular

• arcanaṁ: worship
• arcanaṁ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arcana (प्रातिपदिक; from √arc अर्च्)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/1 or द्वितीया/2), Singular; here as subject of nārhati

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; negation particle (निषेध)

• arhati: is fit/deserves
• arhati: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √arh अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• gantum: to go/attain
• gantum: Karma (कर्म/complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam गम् (धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्); expresses purpose/complement of arhati

• anyathā: otherwise
• anyathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• śraddhā-anurūpam: in accordance with faith
• śraddhā-anurūpam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/adverbial)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śraddhā (प्रातिपदिक) + anurūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) 'śraddhāyāḥ anurūpam' (according to faith); Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; adverbial accusative qualifying gantum

• phala-hetukatvāt: because it is a cause of results
• phala-hetukatvāt: Hetu (हेतु/cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक) + hetuka (प्रातिपदिक) + -tva (प्रत्यय)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) 'phalasya hetuḥ' + abstract -tva; Neuter, Ablative (पञ्चमी/5), Singular; expresses cause (हेतु)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Aditi

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about worship not going in vain?

In this verse, Lord Vishnu tells Aditi that worship of Him never becomes fruitless; the outcome manifests in accordance with the devotee’s faith (śraddhā).

Why did Lord Vishnu say this to Aditi in Canto 8 Chapter 17?

Aditi had undertaken disciplined vows to please the Lord for the welfare of the devas; Vishnu, satisfied by her vrata, assures her that her devotion will bear results and that He will consider a way to help.

Practical application of shraddha and vrata in modern life?

Consistent spiritual discipline (vows, regulated practice) combined with sincere faith makes devotion steady; results may differ, but sincere worship is never wasted and gradually transforms one’s heart.