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Shloka 34

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

सत्त्वं विशुद्धं श्रयते भवान् स्थितौ शरीरिणां श्रेयउपायनं वपु: । वेदक्रियायोगतप:समाधिभि- स्तवार्हणं येन जन: समीहते ॥ ३४ ॥

sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ śrayate bhavān sthitau śarīriṇāṁ śreya-upāyanaṁ vapuḥ veda-kriyā-yoga-tapaḥ-samādhibhis tavārhaṇaṁ yena janaḥ samīhate

O Lord, in the time of cosmic maintenance You take shelter of pure sattva and manifest a transcendental body, the very means of welfare for embodied beings. By Vedic rites, yoga, austerity, expiation, and finally samādhi, people strive to worship You according to Vedic principles.

सत्त्वम्pure being/essence (sattva)
सत्त्वम्:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootसत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; abstract noun
विशुद्धम्completely pure
विशुद्धम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootविशुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण of सत्त्वम्
श्रयतेtakes refuge in/abides in
श्रयते:
Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootश्रि (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
भवान्you (honored one)
भवान्:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootभवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; आदरसूचक सर्वनाम-प्रयोग
स्थितौin the state/condition
स्थितौ:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
TypeNoun
Rootस्थिति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन
शरीरिणाम्of embodied beings
शरीरिणाम्:
Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootशरीरिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन
श्रेयः-उपायनम्the means/bringing of the highest good
श्रेयः-उपायनम्:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootश्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक) + उपायन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (श्रेयसः उपायनम्)
वपुःbody/form
वपुः:
Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootवपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
वेद-क्रिया-योग-तपः-समाधिभिःby Vedic rites, acts, yoga, austerity, and samādhi
वेद-क्रिया-योग-तपः-समाधिभिः:
Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootवेद (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक) + योग (प्रातिपदिक) + तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + समाधि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक-समाहार, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (by Vedic rites, actions, yoga, austerity, and samādhi)
तवof you/your
तव:
Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
अर्हणम्worship/adoration
अर्हणम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootअर्हण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
येनby which
येन:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक सर्वनाम
जनःa person/people
जनः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootजन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
समीहतेstrives/endeavors
समीहते:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootसम्-ईह् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (18.3) , yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma na tyājyam: the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies, charity, austerity and all such prescribed duties are never to be given up. Yajño dānaṁ tapaś caiva pāvanāni manīṣiṇām (18.5): even one who is very much advanced in spiritual realization must still execute the Vedic principles. Even in the lowest stage, the karmīs are advised to work for the sake of the Lord.

B
Bhagavān (Lord Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa)

FAQs

This verse states that in His sustaining role the Lord manifests perfectly pure goodness, a transcendental purity that supports devotion and becomes the true means of welfare for embodied souls.

In the context of Kṛṣṇa’s descent, the demigods pray to the Lord (present in Devakī’s womb) and glorify His transcendental form as the proper object of worship approached through Vedic rites, yoga, austerity, and samādhi.

Use whatever discipline you can sustain—simple worship, sincere meditation, ethical living, or regulated practice—but keep the aim clear: to honor and remember the Lord as the ultimate shelter and the source of real well-being.