Shloka 30

Pṛthu Pursues the Earth and the Earth Takes the Form of a Cow

Bhūmi as Gauḥ

Devanagari script

येनाहमात्मायतनं विनिर्मिता धात्रा यतोऽयं गुणसर्गसङ्ग्रह: । स एव मां हन्तुमुदायुध: स्वरा- डुपस्थितोऽन्यं शरणं कमाश्रये ॥ ३० ॥

Transliteration

yenāham ātmāyatanaṁ vinirmitā dhātrā yato ’yaṁ guṇa-sarga-saṅgrahaḥ sa eva māṁ hantum udāyudhaḥ svarāḍ upasthito ’nyaṁ śaraṇaṁ kam āśraye

Translation

The Earth said: O Lord, by Your own māyā You created this universe with the three guṇas and made me the resting place of all beings. You are wholly independent; yet now You stand before me with weapons, ready to slay me. Tell me—where shall I take shelter, and who can protect me?

Synonyms

• yena: by which
• yena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) — relative pronoun; 'by which/with which'

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular, (common gender usage) — 1st person pronoun

• ātma-āyatanaṁ: the self’s abode/support
• ātma-āyatanaṁ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + āyatana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'ātman-āyatana' = 'abode/support of the self'

• vinirmitā: fashioned/created
• vinirmitā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-nir-√mā (धाातु) → vinirmita (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative, Singular; agrees with implied feminine speaker (e.g., pṛthivī) — 'having been fashioned'

• dhātrā: by the Creator
• dhātrā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular — 'by the Creator/Ordainer'

• yataḥ: from whom/whence
• yataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable), adverb/relative particle — 'from whom/whence/because of whom'

• ayam: this (one)
• ayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular — demonstrative pronoun

• guṇa-sarga-saṅgrahaḥ: aggregate of guṇa-creation
• guṇa-sarga-saṅgrahaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + sarga (प्रातिपदिक) + saṅgraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; multi-member tatpuruṣa: 'collection/aggregate of the creation of guṇas'

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular — demonstrative pronoun

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) — emphasis

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular — 1st person pronoun

• hantum: to kill
• hantum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √han (धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्) — 'to kill'

• udāyudhaḥ: with weapon raised
• udāyudhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ud (उपसर्ग) + āyudha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; बहुव्रीहि: 'one whose weapon is raised' (ud-āyudha)

• svarāṭ: the sovereign
• svarāṭ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarāṭ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular — 'independent ruler/sovereign'

• upasthitaḥ: present/arrived
• upasthitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-√sthā (धातु) → upasthita (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Past participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular — 'arrived/present'

• anyam: another
• anyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular — qualifies śaraṇam (understood as 'other')

• śaraṇam: refuge
• śaraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular — 'refuge'

• kam: whom
• kam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ka (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular — interrogative pronoun

• āśraye: do I take refuge (in)
• āśraye: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√śri (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular — 'I take refuge'

Purport

The planet earth herein exhibits the symptoms of full surrender before the Lord. As stated, no one can protect the person whom Kṛṣṇa is prepared to kill, and no one can kill the person whom Kṛṣṇa protects. Because the Lord was prepared to kill the planet earth, there was no one to give protection to her. We are all receiving protection from the Lord, and it is therefore proper that every one of us surrender unto Him. In Bhagavad-gītā (18.66) the Lord instructs:

Characters & Entities

• Bhūmi-devī
• Pṛthu Mahārāja
• Dhātṛ (the Creator/Lord)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about taking shelter (śaraṇāgati) when facing danger?

This verse shows that when even the cosmos and its rulers are under the Supreme Lord’s control, real refuge cannot be found anywhere else—so surrender to Him is the safest shelter.

Why did Bhūmi-devī say this to King Pṛthu?

As Pṛthu approached to restrain and punish her, Bhūmi-devī acknowledged that the Lord who created her and sustains the world now confronted her through His empowered king, so she sought higher shelter rather than resistance.

How can I apply this teaching in modern life?

When circumstances feel overpowering, instead of relying only on control or blame, cultivate surrender—pray, act responsibly, and remember that ultimate protection and meaning come from the Supreme.