Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 23

Vidura’s Questions: How the Unchangeable Lord Relates to Māyā; Bhakti as the Remedy; Blueprint for the Coming Cosmology

Devanagari script

यस्मिन् दशविध: प्राण: सेन्द्रियार्थेन्द्रियस्त्रिवृत् । त्वयेरितो यतो वर्णास्तद्विभूतीर्वदस्व न: ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

yasmin daśa-vidhaḥ prāṇaḥ sendriyārthendriyas tri-vṛt tvayerito yato varṇās tad-vibhūtīr vadasva naḥ

Translation

O großer Brāhmaṇa, du hast gesagt, dass in der Virāṭ-Gestalt die zehn Lebenslüfte, die Sinne und ihre Objekte sowie dreifache Lebenskraft vorhanden sind. Bitte erkläre uns nun die verschiedenen Kräfte der einzelnen Gliederungen.

Synonyms

• यस्मिन्: in whom
• यस्मिन्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दश-विधः: tenfold
• दश-विधः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘दश प्रकारः’ = tenfold

• प्राणः: vital air, life-breath
• प्राणः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स-इन्द्रिय-अर्थ-इन्द्रियः: together with senses and sense-objects
• स-इन्द्रिय-अर्थ-इन्द्रियः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + इन्द्रिय + अर्थ + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘सह इन्द्रियैः अर्थैः च’—‘endowed with senses and their objects’ (compound compressed in text as sendriyārthendriyaḥ)

• त्रि-वृत्: threefold
• त्रि-वृत्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि + वृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘त्रिभिः वृतः/त्रिधा आवृतः’ = threefold

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• ईरितः: impelled/uttered
• ईरितः: कर्मणि-भाव (Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईरित (√ईर्/ईरय् धातु-निष्पन्न)
• Form: कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; धातु: √ईर्/ईरय् ‘to impel/utter’

• यतः: from which
• यतः: अपादान (Apādāna/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Relative adverb), अर्थे: ‘from which/whence’

• वर्णाः: social orders/classes (varṇas)
• वर्णाः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तत्-विभूतीः: those manifestations/powers
• तत्-विभूतीः: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् + विभूति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘तस्य विभूतयः’

• वदस्व: tell, speak
• वदस्व: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नः: to us/for us
• नः: सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (Recipient/Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध) बहुवचन (enclitic); अर्थे: ‘of us/for us’

Characters & Entities

• Vidura
• Maitreya
• Bhagavan (Supreme Lord)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about prana and the senses being activated by God?

This verse states that the tenfold life-airs, the senses, and their objects function because they are impelled by the Supreme Lord within all beings.

Why did Vidura ask about the Lord’s vibhutis and the origin of varnas?

Vidura sought a clear explanation of how the Lord’s cosmic manifestations govern creation and social order, so that dharma can be understood as rooted in the divine source rather than mere human convention.

Practical application of the teaching that God drives prana and the gunas in modern life?

It encourages humility and devotion: treat body and mind as instruments moved by higher law, regulate the senses, and align one’s work and duties with dharma and spiritual purpose.