Shloka 51

Citraketu’s Detachment, Nārada’s Mantra, and the Darśana of Anantadeva

Devanagari script

अहं वै सर्वभूतानि भूतात्मा भूतभावन: । शब्दब्रह्म परं ब्रह्म ममोभे शाश्वती तनू ॥ ५१ ॥

Transliteration

ahaṁ vai sarva-bhūtāni bhūtātmā bhūta-bhāvanaḥ śabda-brahma paraṁ brahma mamobhe śāśvatī tanū

Translation

Ich bin das Selbst aller Wesen, beweglich und unbeweglich, und der Offenbarer ihrer Existenz. Ich bin das Śabda-Brahman, der transzendente Klang wie Oṁ, und das Parabrahman; diese beiden Gestalten sind ewig und nicht materiell.

Synonyms

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), उत्तमपुरुष-सूचक; एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/निश्चयार्थ (indeed, surely)

• सर्व-भूतानि: all beings
• सर्व-भूतानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘सर्वाणि भूतानि’

• भूत-आत्मा: the Self of beings
• भूत-आत्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘भूतानाम् आत्मा’

• भूत-भावनः: the nourisher/creator of beings
• भूत-भावनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + भावन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘भूतानां भावनः’ (nourisher/producer)

• शब्द-ब्रह्म: Brahman as sound (Veda)
• शब्द-ब्रह्म: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक) + ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘शब्दस्य ब्रह्म’/‘शब्दरूपं ब्रह्म’

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier)

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• मम: of me / my
• मम: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• उभे: both
• उभे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), द्विवचन; विशेषणम्—‘द्वे’ (both)

• शाश्वती: eternal
• शाश्वती: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; विशेषणम्

• तनू: forms/bodies
• तनू: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन

Purport

The science of devotional service has been instructed by Nārada and Aṅgirā to Citraketu. Now, because of Citraketu’s devotional service, he has seen the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By performing devotional service, one advances step by step, and when one is on the platform of love of Godhead ( premā pumartho mahān ) he sees the Supreme Lord at every moment. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, when one engages in devotional service twenty-four hours a day ( teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam ) in accordance with the instructions of the spiritual master, his devotional service becomes more and more pleasing. Then the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is within the core of everyone’s heart, speaks to the devotee ( dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te ). Citraketu Mahārāja was first instructed by his gurus, Aṅgirā and Nārada, and now, having followed their instructions, he has come to the stage of seeing the Supreme Lord face to face. Therefore the Lord is now instructing him in the essence of knowledge.

Characters & Entities

• Citraketu
• Sankarshana

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Shabda Brahma and Para Brahma?

This verse states that the Supreme Lord is both śabda-brahma (the Absolute revealed as Vedic sound) and para-brahma (the supreme transcendental Absolute), declaring both as His eternal manifestations.

Why did Lord Sankarshana say this to King Citraketu?

In the dialogue of Canto 6, Chapter 16, the Lord instructs Citraketu on the Lord’s all-pervading nature and supreme identity, guiding him from grief and limited identification toward spiritual realization and devotion.

Practical application of seeing God as the Soul of all beings in modern life?

By remembering the Lord as the indwelling Self of everyone, one cultivates humility, compassion, and steadiness—reducing envy and anger while strengthening devotional awareness in daily relationships.