Shloka 36

Devanagari script

श्रीभगवानुवाच जन्मकर्माभिधानानि सन्ति मेऽङ्ग सहस्रश: । न शक्यन्तेऽनुसङ्ख्यातुमनन्तत्वान्मयापि हि ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-bhagavān uvāca janma-karmābhidhānāni santi me ’ṅga sahasraśaḥ na śakyante ’nusaṅkhyātum anantatvān mayāpi hi

Translation

Der Höchste Herr sprach: Mein Freund, Meine Geburten, Taten und Namen sind zu Tausenden. Sie sind grenzenlos; darum kann selbst Ich sie nicht aufzählen.

Synonyms

• śrī-bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• śrī-bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī-bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (śrī + bhagavān)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• janma-karmābhidhānāni: names/designations of births and deeds
• janma-karmābhidhānāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janman + karman + abhidhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (janma-karman-abhidhāna)

• santi: are
• santi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• aṅga: O dear (address)
• aṅga: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aṅga (अव्यय/सम्बोधन-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधनार्थक निपात (vocative particle)

• sahasraśaḥ: by the thousands; innumerably
• sahasraśaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sahasraśas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकार/परिमाणवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner/quantity)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• śakyante: are possible (to be)
• śakyante: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śak (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense: 'are able to be')

• anusaṅkhyātum: to enumerate
• anusaṅkhyātum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Infinitive complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-saṅkhyā (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), कर्तरि; उपसर्ग: anu-

• anantatvāt: because of infinitude
• anantatvāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anantatva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• api: even; also
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कार (particle: 'also/even')

• hi: indeed; for
• hi: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

Characters & Entities

• Lord Krishna

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna being unlimited (Ananta)?

This verse states that Krishna’s births, deeds, and names are countless, and because He is unlimited, they cannot be fully enumerated—even by the Lord Himself.

Why did Krishna say that even He cannot count His own names and pastimes?

In His conversation with King Mucukunda, Krishna emphasizes His infinite nature: His manifestations, activities, and titles are boundless, so no finite counting can exhaust them.

How can a devotee apply this teaching in modern life?

Rather than trying to master everything intellectually, one can steadily practice bhakti—hearing, chanting, and remembering Krishna’s names and pastimes—knowing they are inexhaustible and ever-fresh.