Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 11
Vasudeva and Devakī Glorify Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma; The Recovery of Devakī’s Six Sons from Sutala
भूतानामसि भूतादिरिन्द्रियाणां च तैजस: । वैकारिको विकल्पानां प्रधानमनुशायिनम् ॥ ११ ॥
bhūtānām asi bhūtādir indriyāṇāṁ ca taijasaḥ vaikāriko vikalpānāṁ pradhānam anuśāyinam
You are false ego in the mode of ignorance, the source of the material elements; false ego in the mode of passion, the source of the bodily senses; and false ego in the mode of goodness (vaikārika), the source of the demigods. You are also the unmanifest Pradhāna, the total material energy underlying all.
FAQs
This verse praises Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the origin of beings and elements, and also as the underlying unmanifest pradhāna—material nature in its subtle, latent state—showing Him as the ultimate cause behind both manifest and unmanifest creation.
In this chapter Vasudeva, overwhelmed by Kṛṣṇa’s divine presence and teachings, offers prayers recognizing Kṛṣṇa’s supremacy—not merely as his son, but as the Lord who stands behind the cosmos, the senses, and the mind.
It encourages a devotee to redirect sense activity and mental speculation toward service and remembrance of Kṛṣṇa, reducing ego-centered control and bringing steadiness, clarity, and devotion in daily decisions.