Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 46

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

Devanagari script

द्वादशस्वपि मासेषु देवोऽसौ षड्‌भिरस्य वै । चरन् समन्तात्तनुते परत्रेह च सन्मतिम् ॥ ४६ ॥

Transliteration

dvādaśasv api māseṣu devo ’sau ṣaḍbhir asya vai caran samantāt tanute paratreha ca san-matim

Translation

So wandert der Herr der Sonne durch alle zwölf Monate mit seinen sechs Arten von Gefährten in alle Richtungen und verbreitet unter den Wesen dieses Universums Reinheit des Bewusstseins und rechte Gesinnung – für dieses Leben und das nächste.

Synonyms

• dvādaśasu: in (the) twelve
• dvādaśasu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvādaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन); numeral adjective used substantively with māseṣu

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) expressing inclusion/emphasis: “also/even”

• māseṣu: in the months
• māseṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• devaḥ: the deity
• devaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• asau: this/that (he)
• asau: Karta (कर्ता) (apposition to devaḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asau (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ṣaḍbhiḥ: with six (of them)
• ṣaḍbhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); numeral used with implied “(months)”

• asya: of him/of this
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) for emphasis/assurance

• caran: moving/going about
• caran: Karta (कर्ता) (participial qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: Present active participle (वर्तमान-कृदन्त, शतृ), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with devaḥ/asau

• samantāt: all around
• samantāt: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samantāt (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय): “on all sides/around”

• tanute: extends/spreads/produces
• tanute: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tan (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• paratra: in the hereafter
• paratra: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paratra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय): “there/ in the other world”

• iha: here
• iha: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय): “here/in this world”

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय): “and”

• sanmatim: right understanding/good resolve
• sanmatim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: san-mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); compound: sat (सत् ‘good’) + mati (मति ‘understanding’)

Characters & Entities

• Sūrya (Sun-god)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Sun’s role in time and human understanding?

This verse explains that the Sun, moving through the twelve months with his sixfold energies, influences time and helps living beings receive sat-mati—right understanding for both worldly life and the afterlife.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe the Sun’s movement to King Parīkṣit in Canto 12?

Śukadeva is summarizing how kāla (time) operates through cosmic arrangements like the Sun’s course, so Parīkṣit can understand creation’s order and turn his mind toward the Supreme beyond time.

Practical application of ‘sat-mati’ (right understanding) in modern life?

Live with awareness that time is sacred and purposeful: structure life around dharma, daily sādhana, and remembrance of God, so one’s intelligence benefits both present duties and ultimate spiritual progress.