Shloka 49

Brahmā Counsels the Demigods; Journey to Kailāsa; Śiva’s Tranquility and Brahmā’s Praise

Devanagari script

भवांस्तु पुंस: परमस्य मायया दुरन्तयास्पृष्टमति: समस्तद‍ृक् । तया हतात्मस्वनुकर्मचेत:- स्वनुग्रहं कर्तुमिहार्हसि प्रभो ॥ ४९ ॥

Transliteration

bhavāṁs tu puṁsaḥ paramasya māyayā durantayāspṛṣṭa-matiḥ samasta-dṛk tayā hatātmasv anukarma-cetaḥsv anugrahaṁ kartum ihārhasi prabho

Translation

My Lord, you are never bewildered by the formidable māyā of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore you are all-seeing and all-knowing. Thus, O Prabhu, please bestow your mercy upon those whose hearts are struck down by that māyā and whose minds cling to karma and its fruits.

Synonyms

• भवान्: you (honored one)
• भवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; honorific 2nd-person pronoun

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), contrastive

• पुंसः: of the person
• पुंसः: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pumān/puṁs (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• परमस्य: of the supreme
• परमस्य: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; qualifies पुंसः

• मायया: by illusion/power
• मायया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• दुरन्तया: by the hard-to-cross
• दुरन्तया: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duranta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; agrees with मायया

• अस्पृष्टमतिः: whose mind is untouched (unaffected)
• अस्पृष्टमतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अस्पृष्ट-मति (कृदन्त+प्रातिपदिक); स्पृश् (धातु) + क्त (spṛṣṭa) with negation a- + मति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘untouched in mind’ (bahuvrīhi-like adjectival usage)

• समस्तदृक्: all-seeing
• समस्तदृक्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समस्त-दृश् (प्रातिपदिक); समस्त + दृश्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘all-seeing/seeing the whole’

• तया: by that (illusion)
• तया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; refers to मायया

• हतात्मसु: among the self-bewildered/ruined-souled
• हतात्मसु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हत-आत्मन् (कृदन्त+प्रातिपदिक); हन् (धातु) + क्त + आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural; ‘in those whose selves are struck/ruined’

• अनुकर्मचेतःसु: in those whose minds follow mere ritual/action
• अनुकर्मचेतःसु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुकर्म-चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक); अनुकर्मन् + चेतस्
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural; ‘in minds intent on following actions/ritual routine’

• अनुग्रहम्: favor/grace
• अनुग्रहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anugraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• कर्तुम्: to do/to bestow
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्/तुम्), ‘to do’

• इह: here/in this matter
• इह: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देश/प्रसङ्गवाचक-अव्यय)

• अर्हसि: you are fit/you ought
• अर्हसि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arh (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada, 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular

• प्रभो: O Lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

Purport

A Vaiṣṇava is never bewildered by the influence of the external energy because he is engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. The Lord states in Bhagavad-gītā (7.14) :

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Śiva (Rudra)
• Dakṣa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about overcoming māyā?

This verse says māyā is extremely difficult to overcome, and those trapped in karma need divine mercy; the Lord (here, Śiva as a great devotee and controller) is not deluded by māyā and can grant grace to the bewildered.

Why did Brahmā say this to Lord Śiva during Dakṣa’s sacrifice?

After the disturbance at Dakṣa’s yajña, Brahmā pacifies Śiva and requests him to show compassion to the karmic-minded participants whose consciousness was ruined by illusion and anger-driven ritualism.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Recognize when the mind is trapped in results-driven work and ego; seek humility, prayer, and devotional remembrance to receive grace that lifts consciousness beyond reactive karma.