Shloka 38

Nārada Sees Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Yoga-māyā in the Palaces of the Queens

Dvāra-kā-līlā

Devanagari script

विदाम योगमायास्ते दुर्दर्शा अपि मायिनाम् । योगेश्वरात्मन् निर्भाता भवत्पादनिषेवया ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

vidāma yoga-māyās te durdarśā api māyinām yogeśvarātman nirbhātā bhavat-pāda-niṣevayā

Translation

[Nārada sprach:] O Paramātmā, Herr aller Yogakraft: Deine Yoga-māyā-Energien sind selbst für große Mystiker schwer zu begreifen; doch durch den Dienst an Deinen Lotosfüßen wurden sie mir klar offenbar.

Synonyms

• vidāma: we know
• vidāma: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन (plural); परस्मैपद

• yoga-māyāḥ: the yogic māyās / divine illusory powers
• yoga-māyāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoga (प्रातिपदिक) + māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), एकवचन (singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• durdarśāḥ: hard to see/understand
• durdarśāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur-darśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), बहुवचन (plural); विशेषण (qualifying yoga-māyāḥ)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), concessive ‘even/also’

• māyinām: of the magicians/illusionists
• māyinām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), बहुवचन (plural)

• yogeśvara-ātman: O soul/self of the Lord of yoga
• yogeśvara-ātman: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yogeśvara (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सम्बोधन (Vocative, 8th), एकवचन (singular)

• nirbhātāḥ: made manifest/clearly revealed
• nirbhātāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-bhāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), बहुवचन (plural); विशेषण (qualifying yoga-māyāḥ)

• bhavat-pāda-niṣevayā: by service to your feet
• bhavat-pāda-niṣevayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक) + pāda (प्रातिपदिक) + niṣevā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), तृतीया (Instrumental, 3rd), एकवचन (singular)

Purport

According to the ācāryas, this verse indicates that even great mystics like Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva cannot fully comprehend the mystic power of the Supreme Lord.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Dvārakā queens

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about understanding Yogamāyā?

This verse teaches that Kṛṣṇa’s Yogamāyā is not grasped by mere cleverness or mystic expertise; it becomes clear through loving service to His lotus feet.

Why do the Dvārakā queens speak about Yogamāyā to Lord Kṛṣṇa?

In the Dvārakā narrative, the queens marvel at Kṛṣṇa’s divine arrangement and confess that His inner potency is revealed to them specifically because they are sheltered in devotion and service.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Instead of trying to “figure out” spirituality only intellectually, cultivate steady devotional practice—service, prayer, and remembrance—because realization deepens through sincere bhakti.