Shloka 11

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

Devanagari script

हरेर्गुणाक्षिप्तमतिर्भगवान् बादरायणि: । अध्यगान्महदाख्यानं नित्यं विष्णुजनप्रिय: ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

harer guṇākṣipta-matir bhagavān bādarāyaṇiḥ adhyagān mahad ākhyānaṁ nityaṁ viṣṇu-jana-priyaḥ

Translation

Śukadeva, der Sohn Vyāsas (Bādarāyaṇi), dessen Geist von Haris Eigenschaften ergriffen war und der den Viṣṇu-Bhaktas stets lieb war, studierte dieses große Epos: das Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Synonyms

• हरेः: of Hari
• हरेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गुण-आक्षिप्त-मतिḥ: whose mind was attracted by (His) qualities
• गुण-आक्षिप्त-मतिḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + आक्षिप्त (कृदन्त, √क्षिप्) + मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (गुणैः आक्षिप्ता मतिः यस्य)

• भगवान्: the blessed one; venerable
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बादरायणिः: Bādarāyaṇi (Vyāsa’s son Śuka)
• बादरायणिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बादरायणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; गोत्र/पितृव्युत्पन्न-नाम (patronymic)

• अध्यगात्: studied/learned
• अध्यगात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि+इ (धातु: इ—गत्यर्थे)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्गः—अधि

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आख्यानम्: narrative, account
• आख्यानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आख्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always, constantly
• नित्यम्: Avyaya (अव्यय/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण द्वितीया-एकवचन (accusative used adverbially)

• विष्णु-जन-प्रियः: dear to the people/devotees of Vishnu
• विष्णु-जन-प्रियः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + जन (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (विष्णोः जनानां प्रियः)

Purport

According to Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa, Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī was a liberated soul even within the womb of his mother. Śrīla Vyāsadeva knew that the child, after his birth, would not stay at home. Therefore he (Vyāsadeva) impressed upon him the synopsis of the Bhāgavatam so that the child could be made attached to the transcendental activities of the Lord. After his birth, the child was still more educated in the subject of the Bhāgavatam by recitation of the actual poems.

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa)
• Bādarāyaṇi (Śukadeva Gosvāmī)
• Vyāsa (Bādarāyaṇa)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about being attracted to Hari’s qualities?

This verse highlights that true spiritual realization arises when the mind becomes captivated by Hari’s guṇas; such attraction leads one to deeply learn and live the Bhāgavata’s message.

Why does Suta Goswami mention Shukadeva Goswami here in Canto 1 Chapter 7?

Sūta establishes Śukadeva’s authority and purity—he is naturally drawn to Hari and beloved by Viṣṇu’s devotees—thereby validating the Bhāgavata narration that will be spoken.

Practical application of being ‘guṇākṣipta-mati’ (mind drawn to God) in modern life?

Regular hearing/reading of Hari-kathā, chanting, and associating with devotees trains attention away from distraction and toward divine qualities, making spirituality steady and lived daily.