Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 26

Kūrma Supports Mandara; Hālahala Appears; Śiva Becomes Nīlakaṇṭha

Devanagari script

अग्निर्मुखं तेऽखिलदेवतात्मा क्षितिं विदुर्लोकभवाङ्‍‍घ्रिपङ्कजम् । कालं गतिं तेऽखिलदेवतात्मनो दिशश्च कर्णौ रसनं जलेशम् ॥ २६ ॥

Transliteration

agnir mukhaṁ te ’khila-devatātmā kṣitiṁ vidur loka-bhavāṅghri-paṅkajam kālaṁ gatiṁ te ’khila-devatātmano diśaś ca karṇau rasanaṁ jaleśam

Translation

O Seele aller Devas, Vater der Welten: Die Weisen wissen, dass Feuer Dein Mund ist, die Erdoberfläche Deine Lotosfüße; die ewige Zeit ist Deine Bewegung, die Himmelsrichtungen sind Deine Ohren, und Varuṇa, Herr der Wasser, ist Deine Zunge.

Synonyms

• अग्निः: fire
• अग्निः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति

• मुखम्: mouth
• मुखम्: विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति; here प्रथमा (predicate)

• ते: your
• ते: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, एकवचन, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive singular)

• अखिल-देवत-आत्मा: the self of all gods
• अखिल-देवत-आत्मा: सम्बोधन/विशेष्य (Apposition to implied 'त्वम्')
• Type: Noun
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक) + देवत (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अखिलानां देवतानाम् आत्मा = the soul of all deities)

• क्षितिम्: earth
• क्षितिम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative singular)

• विदुः: they know; they declare
• विदुः: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• लोक-भव-अङ्घ्रि-पङ्कजम्: the lotus-foot that is the source of the worlds
• लोक-भव-अङ्घ्रि-पङ्कजम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; predicate complement to 'क्षितिम्')
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + भव (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्घ्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + पङ्कज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया-विभक्ति; बहु-षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला (लोकस्य भवः = origin of worlds; तस्य अङ्घ्रि = foot; तस्य पङ्कजम् = lotus)

• कालम्: time
• कालम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया-विभक्ति

• गतिम्: direction; course; movement
• गतिम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया-विभक्ति

• ते: your
• ते: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, एकवचन, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive singular)

• अखिल-देवत-आत्मनः: of the self of all gods
• अखिल-देवत-आत्मनः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive; of 'you')
• Type: Noun
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक) + देवत (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, षष्ठी-विभक्ति; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अखिलदेवतानाम् आत्मा)

• दिशः: the directions
• दिशः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; predicate set)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative plural)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कर्णौ: (two) ears
• कर्णौ: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; predicate set)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्विवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative dual)

• रसनम्: tongue
• रसनम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; predicate set)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रसना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति; here प्रथमा (predicate)

• जलेशम्: the lord of waters (Varuṇa)
• जलेशम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; complement in 'viduḥ' series)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया-विभक्ति; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जलस्य ईशः = lord of waters)

Purport

In the śruti-mantras it is said, agniḥ sarva-devatāḥ: “Fire is the aggregate of all demigods.” Agni is the mouth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is through Agni, or fire, that the Lord accepts all sacrificial oblations.

Characters & Entities

• Lord Vishnu
• Varuna

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Vishnu’s cosmic form (Virat Rupa)?

This verse teaches Virat meditation by mapping the universe onto the Lord’s body—fire as His mouth, earth as His lotus feet, time as His movement, the directions as His ears, and Varuṇa as His tongue—showing everything rests within and functions by Him.

Why did the demigods offer these prayers to Lord Vishnu in Canto 8 Chapter 7?

During the crisis arising in the churning episode, the devas take shelter of Vishnu by glorifying His all-pervading supremacy, acknowledging that cosmic powers (like fire, time, directions, and Varuṇa) are His energies and limbs.

Practical application of seeing God’s presence everywhere in modern life?

Train the mind to see sacred order in daily experience—time, nature, and the elements—as belonging to the Lord; this reduces anxiety and pride, and strengthens gratitude, humility, and steady devotion.