Shloka 26

The Lord’s Advent: Yoga-māyā’s Mission, Saṅkarṣaṇa’s Transfer, and the Demigods’ Prayers

Devanagari script

सत्यव्रतं सत्यपरं त्रिसत्यंसत्यस्य योनिं निहितं च सत्ये । सत्यस्य सत्यमृतसत्यनेत्रंसत्यात्मकं त्वां शरणं प्रपन्ना: ॥ २६ ॥

Transliteration

satya-vrataṁ satya-paraṁ tri-satyaṁ satyasya yoniṁ nihitaṁ ca satye satyasya satyam ṛta-satya-netraṁ satyātmakaṁ tvāṁ śaraṇaṁ prapannāḥ

Translation

The demigods prayed: O Lord, You are steadfast in Your vow and devoted to truth; in the three phases—creation, maintenance, and dissolution—You are the Supreme Truth. You are the source of truth and established in truth. You are the truth of truth, with eyes of immortal truth, truth itself. We bow down and surrender to You—please grant us protection.

Synonyms

• satya-vratam: whose vow is truth
• satya-vratam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: satya + vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (सत्यं व्रतं यस्य/सत्यव्रतम् = ‘whose vow is truth’) used as epithet

• satya-param: devoted to truth
• satya-param: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: satya + para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सत्ये परः/सत्यपर = ‘devoted to truth’)

• tri-satyam: the threefold truth
• tri-satyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri + satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (त्रीणि सत्यानि यस्य/त्रिसत्यम्)

• satyasya: of truth
• satyasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• yonim: source/womb
• yonim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• nihitam: placed/established
• nihitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nihita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √dhā (धातु) + क्त, उपसर्ग: नि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• satye: in truth
• satye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• satyasya: of truth
• satyasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• satyam: the truth (itself)
• satyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ṛta-satya-netram: whose eye is ṛta and satya
• ṛta-satya-netram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṛta + satya + netra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (ऋत-सत्ययोः नेत्रम्/‘whose eye is ṛta and satya’ i.e., whose vision is cosmic order and truth)

• satyātmakam: of the nature of truth
• satyātmakam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: satya + ātmaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सत्य-आत्मक = ‘of the nature of truth’)

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• śaraṇam: refuge
• śaraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-भावे (as ‘refuge’ taken)

• prapannāḥ: (we) have surrendered
• prapannāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prapanna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √pad (धातु) + क्त, उपसर्ग: प्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘having surrendered’ (subject = speakers)

Purport

The demigods or devotees know perfectly well that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the true substance, whether within this material world or in the spiritual world. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins, therefore, with the words oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya … satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi. Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is the paraṁ satyam, the Supreme Truth. The Supreme Truth can be approached or understood by the supreme method, as declared by the Supreme Truth: bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ ( Bg. 18.55 ). Bhakti, devotional service, is the only way to understand the Absolute Truth. For protection, therefore, the demigods surrender to the Supreme Truth, not to the relative truth. There are persons who worship various demigods, but the Supreme Truth, Kṛṣṇa, declares in Bhagavad-gītā (7.23) , antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām: “Men of small intelligence worship the demigods, and their fruits are limited and temporary.” Worship of demigods may be useful for a limited time, but the result is antavat, perishable. This material world is impermanent, the demigods are impermanent, and the benedictions derived from the demigods are also impermanent, whereas the living entity is eternal ( nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām ( Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13)). Every living entity, therefore, must search for eternal happiness, not temporary happiness. The words satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi indicate that one should search for the Absolute Truth, not the relative truth.

Characters & Entities

• Lord Krishna (Vishnu)
• Devaki
• Demigods (Devas)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna as the Absolute Truth?

This verse praises Krishna as truth itself—the source of all truth and the ultimate reality behind everything that is true—therefore He is the safest refuge for surrender.

Why do the demigods pray to Krishna in Devaki’s womb in Canto 10 Chapter 2?

They pray because the Lord has appeared to relieve the burden of the earth and protect devotees; recognizing His divinity, they offer stuti and take shelter of Him even before His visible birth.

Practical application of surrender to truth in modern life according to this shloka?

Practice integrity and truthfulness, and anchor your decisions in devotion—taking shelter of the Lord as the highest truth when faced with fear, confusion, or moral pressure.