Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 29

The Song of the Avantī Brāhmaṇa (Avanti-brāhmaṇa-gītā): Mind as the Root of Suffering and Equanimity Amid Insult

Devanagari script

सोऽहं कालावशेषेण शोषयिष्येऽङ्गमात्मन: । अप्रमत्तोऽखिलस्वार्थे यदि स्यात् सिद्ध आत्मनि ॥ २९ ॥

Transliteration

so ’haṁ kālāvaśeṣeṇa śoṣayiṣye ’ṅgam ātmanaḥ apramatto ’khila-svārthe yadi syāt siddha ātmani

Translation

Wenn mir noch Zeit im Leben bleibt, werde ich Buße tun und mich auf mein höchstes Selbstinteresse konzentrieren, zufrieden im Selbst.

Synonyms

• saḥ: he/that (one)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (pron. nom. sg.)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन (1st pers. pron. nom. sg.)

• kāla-avaśeṣeṇa: with the remaining time
• kāla-avaśeṣeṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + avaśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: कालस्य अवशेषेण ‘with the remainder of time’ (m. instr. sg.)

• śoṣayiṣye: I will dry up
• śoṣayiṣye: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śuṣ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्/Future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन (1st sg.); causative sense (णिच्): ‘I will dry up’

• aṅgam: the body/limbs
• aṅgam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (n. acc. sg.)

• ātmanaḥ: of myself/of the self
• ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (m. gen. sg.)

• apramattaḥ: attentive/unbewildered
• apramattaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apramatta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (m. nom. sg.)

• akhila-svārthe: in all (true) aims/benefits
• akhila-svārthe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: akhila (प्रातिपदिक) + sva-artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्राय: ‘in all (true) self-interests/aims’ (m. loc. sg.)

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक (conditional conjunction: if)

• syāt: may be/should be
• syāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd sg.)

• siddhaḥ: accomplished/perfected
• siddhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: siddha (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘accomplished/perfected’

• ātmani: in the self
• ātmani: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/Locative), एकवचन (m. loc. sg.)

Characters & Entities

• Dattātreya
• Avadhūta

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about leaving the body at the end of life?

This verse teaches that one should remain vigilant and detached, allowing the body to naturally decline with time while focusing on perfected Self-realization as the real success of life.

Why did Dattātreya (the Avadhūta) speak about drying up the body?

In his instruction, Dattātreya emphasizes vairāgya: the body is temporary and governed by time, so a wise person concentrates on realization of the Self rather than bodily maintenance or fear.

Practical application of detachment and vigilance in modern life?

Live consciously: reduce obsession with comfort and status, keep steady spiritual practice, and remember that time is limited—so prioritize inner realization and devotion over temporary gains.