Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 28

Yoga-siddhi — The Mystic Perfections and Their Origin in Meditation on the Lord

Devanagari script

मद्भ‍क्त्या शुद्धसत्त्वस्य योगिनो धारणाविद: । तस्य त्रैकालिकी बुद्धिर्जन्ममृत्यूपबृंहिता ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

mad-bhaktyā śuddha-sattvasya yogino dhāraṇā-vidaḥ tasya trai-kālikī buddhir janma-mṛtyūpabṛṁhitā

Translation

Der Yogi, der durch Bhakti zu Mir sein Dasein geläutert hat und die Dhāraṇā kundig beherrscht, erlangt Wissen über Vergangenheit, Gegenwart und Zukunft; so schaut er Geburt und Tod seiner selbst und anderer.

Synonyms

• mat-bhaktyā: by devotion to me
• mat-bhaktyā: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mat (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मत्-भक्तिः = devotion to me)

• śuddha-sattvasya: of (one) with purified being
• śuddha-sattvasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuddha (प्रातिपदिक) + sattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; कर्मधारय (शुद्धं सत्त्वं यस्य/शुद्ध-सत्त्वः) used as genitive qualifier

• yoginaḥ: of the yogi
• yoginaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• dhāraṇā-vidaḥ: of the knower of dhāraṇā
• dhāraṇā-vidaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhāraṇā (प्रातिपदिक) + vid (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (धारणां वेत्ति = knower of concentration)

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• trai-kālikī: three-temporal (past-present-future)
• trai-kālikī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + ṭhañ (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; द्विगु-समास (त्रयः कालाः) + तद्धित (इक) meaning 'pertaining to three times'

• buddhiḥ: intelligence
• buddhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• janma-mṛtyu-upabṛṁhitā: expanded by (knowledge of) birth and death
• janma-mṛtyu-upabṛṁhitā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: janman (प्रातिपदिक) + mṛtyu (प्रातिपदिक) + upa√bṛṁh (धातु)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; janma-mṛtyu (द्वन्द्व) + past passive participle (क्त) of upa√bṛṁh 'augmented/expanded'; agrees with buddhiḥ

Purport

After having explained the eight primary and ten secondary mystic perfections of yoga, the Lord now explains the five inferior potencies.

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Uddhava

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about knowing past, present, and future (trikāla-jñāna)?

This verse says that through devotion to Krishna, a purified yogi skilled in dhāraṇā attains intelligence that comprehends the three phases of time—past, present, and future.

Why did Krishna speak about yogic knowledge and siddhis to Uddhava in Canto 11?

In the Uddhava-gītā section, Krishna instructs Uddhava on the paths of bhakti and yoga, explaining how devotion-centered practice can produce refined spiritual discernment and extraordinary insight, while keeping the focus on Krishna.

How can this teaching be applied in modern life?

Cultivate steady devotion (bhakti) and focused attention (dhāraṇā) through regular remembrance of Krishna, which deepens clarity about life’s changes—especially birth and death—and supports wiser, less fear-driven decisions.