Shloka 10

Vyāsa’s Vision, the Power of Bhāgavatam, and the Arrest of Aśvatthāmā

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच आत्मारामाश्च मुनयो निर्ग्रन्था अप्युरुक्रमे । कुर्वन्त्यहैतुकीं भक्तिमित्थम्भूतगुणो हरि: ॥ १० ॥

Transliteration

sūta uvāca ātmārāmāś ca munayo nirgranthā apy urukrame kurvanty ahaitukīṁ bhaktim ittham-bhūta-guṇo hariḥ

Translation

Sūta sprach: Selbst die ātmārāmas, die Weisen, die von allen Knoten gelöst sind (nirgrantha), üben grundlose, reine Bhakti zu Urukrama; denn Haris transzendente Eigenschaften ziehen sogar Befreite an.

Synonyms

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• आत्मारामाः: self-satisfied (sages)
• आत्मारामाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• मुनयः: sages
• मुनयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• निर्ग्रन्थाः: free from knots/attachments; also 'without scriptures'
• निर्ग्रन्थाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्ग्रन्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (concessive/emphatic particle)

• उरुक्रमे: in/unto Urukrama (Vishnu)
• उरुक्रमे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरुक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विष्णोः नाम

• कुर्वन्ति: do/perform
• कुर्वन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहैतुकीम्: causeless, unmotivated
• अहैतुकीम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अहैतुकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भक्तिम्: devotion
• भक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इत्थम्: thus, in such a way
• इत्थम्: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• भूत-गुणः: of such wondrous qualities
• भूत-गुणः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (भूतः/अद्भुतः गुणः यस्य)

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Purport

Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained this ātmārāma śloka very vividly before His chief devotee Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī. He points out eleven factors in the śloka, namely (1) ātmārāma, (2) munayaḥ, (3) nirgrantha, (4) api, (5) ca, (6) urukrama, (7) kurvanti, (8) ahaitukīm, (9) bhaktim, (10) ittham-bhūta-guṇaḥ and (11) hariḥ. According to the Viśva-prakāśa Sanskrit dictionary, there are seven synonyms for the word ātmā, which are as follows: (1) Brahman (the Absolute Truth), (2) body, (3) mind, (4) endeavor, (5) endurance, (6) intelligence and (7) personal habits.

Characters & Entities

• Suta Gosvami
• Hari
• Urukrama

FAQs

What is the meaning of the Atmarama shloka (Bhagavatam 1.7.10)?

It teaches that even liberated, self-satisfied sages are drawn to devotional service because Lord Hari’s qualities are irresistibly attractive; bhakti is not merely a means, but also the natural expression of realized souls.

Why do liberated sages (ātmārāmas) perform bhakti if they are already satisfied?

Because the Lord’s transcendental qualities (itthaṁ-bhūta-guṇa) awaken loving attraction beyond impersonal self-satisfaction, making devotion spontaneous and causeless.

How can I practice ahaitukī bhakti in modern life?

Serve and remember the Lord without bargaining for results—make daily hearing/chanting, sincere prayer, and service to devotees your steady practice, offering outcomes to Hari.