Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 2

Aditi’s Payo-vrata and Viṣṇu’s Promise to Appear as Her Son

Prelude to Vāmana

Devanagari script

चिन्तयन्त्येकया बुद्ध्या महापुरुषमीश्वरम् । प्रगृह्येन्द्रियदुष्टाश्वान्मनसा बुद्धिसारथि: ॥ २ ॥ मनश्चैकाग्रया बुद्ध्या भगवत्यखिलात्मनि । वासुदेवे समाधाय चचार ह पयोव्रतम् ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

cintayanty ekayā buddhyā mahā-puruṣam īśvaram pragṛhyendriya-duṣṭāśvān manasā buddhi-sārathiḥ

Translation

With undivided, one-pointed intelligence, Aditi meditated upon the Mahāpuruṣa, the Supreme Lord. Making her discernment the charioteer, she restrained the unruly senses like wild horses, fixed her mind in Bhagavān Vāsudeva, the Soul of all, and thus observed the vow known as payo-vrata.

Synonyms

• चिन्तयन्ती: (she) meditating/thinking
• चिन्तयन्ती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; परस्मैपदी प्रयोग

• एकया: with single/one-pointed
• एकया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• बुद्ध्या: with intellect
• बुद्ध्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• महापुरुषम्: the great Person
• महापुरुषम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महापुरुष (प्रातिपदिक: महा + पुरुष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मपद

• ईश्वरम्: the Lord
• ईश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; महापुरुषम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणभावे अपि प्रयुज्यते

• प्रगृह्य: having restrained/held firmly
• प्रगृह्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), उपसर्ग: प्र-; अव्ययत्वात् अविकारी

• इन्द्रिय: of the senses
• इन्द्रिय: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासपूर्वपद (इन्द्रिय-दुष्ट-अश्वान्)

• दुष्ट: unruly/evil
• दुष्ट: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: भूतकृत् (Past participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; अश्वान् इति विशेषण

• अश्वान्: horses
• अश्वान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• मनसा: with the mind
• मनसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• बुद्धि: of intellect
• बुद्धि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (बुद्धि-सारथिः)

• सारथिः: charioteer/driver
• सारथिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बुद्धि-सारथिः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसमासः (genitive tatpurusha)

Purport

This is the process of bhakti-yoga.

Characters & Entities

• Aditi
• Mahāpuruṣa
• Īśvara (Vāsudeva)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about controlling the senses during vrata or sadhana?

This verse compares the senses to unruly horses and teaches that the devotee should restrain them with the mind, guided by steady intelligence, while meditating on the Supreme Lord.

Why is Aditi meditating on the Mahapurusha in Canto 8 Chapter 17?

Aditi is performing payo-vrata to please the Supreme Lord so that He will appear as her son (Vāmana) and restore the position of the devas.

Practical application of sense control from this Bhagavatam verse in modern life?

Keep the goal (remembrance of God) fixed, use discernment (buddhi) to steer daily choices, and deliberately limit sense impulses through vows, routine, and focused prayer/meditation.