Shloka 22

Varṣa-devatā Worship in Jambūdvīpa: Hayagrīva/Hayaśīrṣa, Nṛsiṁha, Kāmadeva (Pradyumna), Matsya, Kūrma, and Varāha

Devanagari script

मत्प्राप्तयेऽजेशसुरासुरादय- स्तप्यन्त उग्रं तप ऐन्द्रियेधिय: । ऋते भवत्पादपरायणान्न मां विन्दन्त्यहं त्वद्‌धृदया यतोऽजित ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

mat-prāptaye ’jeśa-surāsurādayas tapyanta ugraṁ tapa aindriye dhiyaḥ ṛte bhavat-pāda-parāyaṇān na māṁ vindanty ahaṁ tvad-dhṛdayā yato ’jita

Translation

O Ajita, unbesiegbarer Herr! In Gedanken an sinnlichen Genuss versunken, üben Brahmā, Śiva sowie andere Devas und Asuras strenge Bußen, um meine Segnungen zu erlangen. Doch ich begünstige niemanden—so groß er auch sei—wenn er nicht stets dem Dienst an Deinen Lotosfüßen ergeben ist. Denn ich bewahre Dich immer im Herzen; darum gewähre ich Gnade nur Deinem Bhakta.

Synonyms

• mat-prāptaye: for attaining me
• mat-prāptaye: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Dative purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad + prāpti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः—मम प्राप्तिः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• ajeśa-sura-asura-ādayaḥ: Brahmā, Śiva, gods, demons, and others
• ajeśa-sura-asura-ādayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aja + īśa + sura + asura + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—अजेशाः च सुराः च असुराः च (द्वन्द्व) + ‘आदयः’ (etc.)

• tapyante: perform austerities/are heated
• tapyante: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tap (तप् धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• ugram: fierce
• ugram: Karma (कर्म/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ugra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘तपः’ इति विशेषण

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• aindriye: in sense-based (intellect)
• aindriye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aindriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘धियः’ इति विशेषण

• dhiyaḥ: in the mind/intellect
• dhiyaḥ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन (वैकल्पिक-रूप: धियि/धियाम्; अत्र ‘ऐन्द्रिये धियः’ इति लोके)

• ṛte: except
• ṛte: Apavada (अपवाद/Exception marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ṛte (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वर्जने (indeclinable: except/without)

• bhavat-pāda-parāyaṇān: apart from those devoted to your feet
• bhavat-pāda-parāyaṇān: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative: ‘apart from’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat + pāda + parāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन; समासः—भवतः पादाः (षष्ठी) तेषु परायणाः (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद)

• na: not
• na: None (अकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपातः

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• vindanti: find/attain
• vindanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (विद् धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tvad-dhṛdayāḥ: those who have you in their hearts
• tvad-dhṛdayāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective of implied devotees)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tvad + hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—त्वं हृदये येषाम् (बहुव्रीहि: ‘having you in the heart’)

• yataḥ: because
• yataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कारणार्थक (because)

• ajita: O unconquered one
• ajita: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ajita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Purport

In this verse the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmīdevī, clearly states that she does not bestow her favor on any materialistic person. Although sometimes a materialist becomes very opulent in the eyes of another materialist, such opulence is bestowed upon him by the goddess Durgādevī, a material expansion of the goddess of fortune, not by Lakṣmīdevī herself. Those who desire material wealth worship Durgādevī with the following mantra: dhanaṁ dehi rūpaṁ dehi rupavati bharyam dehi. “O worshipable mother Durgādevī, please give me wealth, strength, fame, a good wife and so on.” By pleasing Goddess Durgā one can obtain such benefits, but since they are temporary, they result only in māyā-sukha (illusory happiness). As stated by Prahlāda Mahārāja, māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān: those who work very hard for material benefits are vimūḍhas, foolish rascals, because such happiness will not endure. On the other hand, devotees like Prahlāda and Dhruva Mahārāja achieved extraordinary material opulences, but such opulences were not māyā-sukha. When a devotee acquires unparalleled opulences, they are the direct gifts of the goddess of fortune, who resides in the heart of Nārāyaṇa.

Characters & Entities

• Prahlāda Mahārāja
• Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva
• Brahmā (Aja)
• Śiva (Īśa)
• Devas (Suras)
• Asuras

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about attaining the Lord through austerity versus bhakti?

This verse says that even great beings perform severe austerities, but without exclusive shelter of the Lord’s lotus feet (pure devotion), one cannot truly attain the Lord.

Why does Prahlāda Mahārāja say that others cannot find him (the devotee) without taking shelter of the Lord’s feet?

Prahlāda explains that real spiritual attainment is linked to surrender to the Lord; those who remain sense-oriented may do penance, but lack the bhakti-connection that reveals the Lord and His devotee.

Practical application: how can I shift from sense-centered effort to devotion in daily life?

Prioritize devotional shelter—regular prayer, chanting, and offering actions to the Lord—so spiritual practice is aimed at surrender and remembrance rather than ego or sense-driven achievement.