Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 23

Kriyā-yoga, the Virāṭ-Puruṣa Mapping, and the Sun-God’s Monthly Expansions

Devanagari script

अङ्गोपाङ्गायुधाकल्पैर्भगवांस्तच्चतुष्टयम् । बिभर्ति स्म चतुर्मूर्तिर्भगवान् हरिरीश्वर: ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

aṅgopāṅgāyudhākalpair bhagavāṁs tac catuṣṭayam bibharti sma catur-mūrtir bhagavān harir īśvaraḥ

Translation

So erscheint der höchste Herr Hari, der Īśvara, in vier persönlichen Erweiterungen; jede zeigt Haupt- und Neben-Glieder, Waffen und Schmuck. Durch diese unterschiedlichen Merkmale erhält der Herr die vier Phasen des Daseins.

Synonyms

• अङ्गोपाङ्गायुधाकल्पैः: with limbs, subsidiary limbs, weapons, and ornaments
• अङ्गोपाङ्गायुधाकल्पैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग + उपाङ्ग + आयुध + कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-द्वन्द्व (अङ्ग + उपाङ्ग + आयुध + कल्प); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; instrumental: with limbs, subsidiary limbs, weapons, and ornaments/accoutrements

• भगवान्: the Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; subject of bibharti

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; demonstrative referring to the following ‘catuṣṭayam’

• चतुष्टयम्: the group of four
• चतुष्टयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुष्टय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; object of bibharti

• बिभर्ति: bears, holds
• बिभर्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• स्म: indeed/then (narrative particle)
• स्म: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्म-निपात (particle indicating recollection/continuity; often with present for past narrative nuance)

• चतुर्मूर्तिः: the four-formed one
• चतुर्मूर्तिः: Karta (कर्ता) / Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (चतस्रः मूर्तयः यस्य/चतुर्-मूर्तिः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; apposition to bhagavān

• भगवान्: the Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता) / Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; apposition

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta (कर्ता) / Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; apposition

• ईश्वरः: the Lord, ruler
• ईश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता) / Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; apposition

Purport

The Lord’s spiritual body, weapons, ornaments and associates are all pure transcendental existence, identical with Him.

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Bhagavān
• Īśvara

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the fourfold form (catur-mūrti) of Lord Vishnu?

This verse states that Lord Hari Himself manifests as the fourfold Lord and sustains that fourfold expansion, fully endowed with divine limbs, weapons, and ornaments—affirming His supreme, personal, and complete nature.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe Hari with weapons and ornaments in Canto 12?

Śukadeva highlights that the Lord’s forms are not abstract; they are fully personal and complete, marked by divine insignia and attributes that devotees meditate upon to deepen devotion and proper understanding of the Supreme Controller.

Practical application: How can meditation on Hari’s forms help in modern life?

Remembering the Lord as the supreme protector and controller—visualized with His divine attributes—steadies the mind, strengthens faith during uncertainty, and supports a disciplined, devotional life centered on remembrance (smaraṇa) and surrender.