Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 21

Guṇa-viveka, Haṁsa-gītā, and the Yoga that Cuts False Ego

Devanagari script

इत्यहं मुनिभि: पृष्टस्तत्त्वजिज्ञासुभिस्तदा । यदवोचमहं तेभ्यस्तदुद्धव निबोध मे ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

ity ahaṁ munibhiḥ pṛṣṭas tattva-jijñāsubhis tadā yad avocam ahaṁ tebhyas tad uddhava nibodha me

Translation

Mein lieber Uddhava, damals fragten Mich die Weisen, die nach der höchsten Wahrheit verlangten; höre nun von Mir, was Ich ihnen sagte.

Synonyms

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyānta-sūcaka (वाक्यान्त-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, quotative particle (इति-निपात)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā vibhakti (nominative, 1st), Ekavacana (singular)

• munibhiḥ: by sages
• munibhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Agent—passive construction)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (masculine), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (instrumental, 3rd), Bahuvacana (plural)

• pṛṣṭaḥ: (I) was asked
• pṛṣṭaḥ: Karma (कर्म/Patient—passive subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prach (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta—kta (क्त) past passive participle; Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; passive sense ‘having been asked’

• tattva-jijñāsubhiḥ: by those eager to know the truth
• tattva-jijñāsubhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Agent—appositional to munibhiḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva + jijñāsu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (masculine), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (instrumental, 3rd), Bahuvacana (plural); समासः—तत्पुरुष (tattvasya jijñāsu)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, temporal adverb (कालवाचक)

• yat: what
• yat: Karma (कर्म/Object of avocam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), Dvitīyā vibhakti (accusative, 2nd), Ekavacana (singular); relative pronoun

• avocam: I said
• avocam: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ-lakāra (aorist), Uttama-puruṣa (1st person), Ekavacana (singular); parasmaipada

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā vibhakti (nominative, 1st), Ekavacana (singular)

• tebhyaḥ: to them
• tebhyaḥ: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga (masculine), Caturthī vibhakti (dative, 4th), Bahuvacana (plural)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म/Object—‘that’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), Dvitīyā vibhakti (accusative, 2nd), Ekavacana (singular); demonstrative correlating with yat

• uddhava: O Uddhava
• uddhava: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uddhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Sambodhana (vocative), Ekavacana

• nibodha: understand, know
• nibodha: Kriyā (क्रिया/Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: budh (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd person), Ekavacana (singular); parasmaipada; ni- upasarga

• me: my, from me
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (genitive, 6th), Ekavacana (singular) enclitic

Characters & Entities

• Uddhava
• Munis (sages)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about tattva-jijñāsā (inquiry into truth)?

This verse highlights that sincere inquiry into tattva is the proper mood of advanced seekers, and that Kṛṣṇa personally responds by giving the same essential instruction to qualified students like Uddhava.

Why did Krishna say this to Uddhava in Canto 11?

Kṛṣṇa is about to transmit a profound teaching previously spoken to truth-seeking sages; He reassures Uddhava that he will now receive that same authoritative guidance directly from Him.

How can I apply this shloka’s teaching in modern life?

Cultivate genuine questions about life’s ultimate purpose and seek answers from authentic spiritual sources—approaching with humility and readiness to understand, as Uddhava does.