Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 38

Parīkṣit’s Final Absorption, Takṣaka’s Bite, Janamejaya’s Snake Sacrifice, and the Vedic Sound-Lineage

Devanagari script

यदुपासनया ब्रह्मन् योगिनो मलमात्मन: । द्रव्यक्रियाकारकाख्यं धूत्वा यान्त्यपुनर्भवम् ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

yad-upāsanayā brahman yogino malam ātmanaḥ dravya-kriyā-kārakākhyaṁ dhūtvā yānty apunar-bhavam

Translation

O Brāhmaṇa, durch Verehrung dieser feinen Gestalt der Veden reinigen die Yogīs ihr Herz von der Verunreinigung namens Substanz, Handlung und Handelnder und gelangen so zum Zustand ohne Wiedergeburt.

Synonyms

• yat-upāsanayā: by which worship/meditation
• yat-upāsanayā: Karana (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + upāsanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष-समासः: ‘यस्याः उपासना’ → ‘by which worship/meditation’

• brahman: O brāhmaṇa
• brahman: Sambodhana (सम्बोधनम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• yoginaḥ: yogīs
• yoginaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• malam: impurity
• malam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• ātmanaḥ: of the self/mind
• ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• dravya-kriyā-kāraka-ākhyam: called ‘substance, action, and agency’ (i.e., that conceptual triad)
• dravya-kriyā-kāraka-ākhyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dravya (प्रातिपदिक) + kriyā (प्रातिपदिक) + kāraka (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः: ‘द्रव्य-क्रिया-कारक इति आख्यं’ (called ‘substance-action-agent/karaka’) qualifying ‘malam’

• dhūtvā: having shaken off
• dhūtvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhū (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (Kridanta), ल्यबन्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund, -tvā), कर्तृसम्बन्धे (having shaken off)

• yānti: go; attain
• yānti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• apunar-bhavam: freedom from rebirth
• apunar-bhavam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-punar (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ) + bhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष-समासः: ‘पुनर्भवः न’ → ‘no rebirth’

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Parīkṣit Mahārāja

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about attaining freedom from rebirth (apunar-bhava)?

This verse says that by worshiping the Supreme Lord, yogīs cleanse the soul’s impurity—especially the false identification with matter, action, and doership—and thus attain freedom from rebirth.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī speak about worship while discussing yogīs and liberation?

In the Bhāgavatam’s conclusion, Śukadeva emphasizes that genuine liberation is achieved not merely by technique, but by devotion (upāsanā) that dissolves egoistic doership and material identification.

How can I apply the teaching of giving up doership in daily life?

Offer your actions to Bhagavān, reduce ego-based claims (“I am the doer”), and practice devotional remembrance so work becomes service rather than binding karma.