Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 36

Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi Meets Lord Śiva: Devotee as Living Tīrtha and the Lord’s Māyā

Devanagari script

कामो महर्षे सर्वोऽयं भक्तिमांस्त्वमधोक्षजे । आकल्पान्ताद् यश: पुण्यमजरामरता तथा ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

kāmo maharṣe sarvo ’yaṁ bhaktimāṁs tvam adhokṣaje ā-kalpāntād yaśaḥ puṇyam ajarāmaratā tathā

Translation

O great sage, because you are devoted to Lord Adhokṣaja, all your desires will be fulfilled. Until the end of this kalpa you will enjoy pious fame and be free from old age and death.

Synonyms

• कामः: desire/boon
• कामः: Karta (कर्ता; nominal predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन

• महर्षे: O great sage
• महर्षे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन

• सर्वः: all/entire
• सर्वः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; qualifying ‘कामः’

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन

• भक्तिमान्: possessing devotion
• भक्तिमान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + मतुप् (प्रत्यय)
• Form: मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive adjective): ‘भक्तिः अस्य अस्ति’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; addressing/qualifying ‘त्वम्’

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (2nd person pronoun), प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन

• अधोक्षजे: in Adhokṣaja (the Lord)
• अधोक्षजे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधोक्षज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन; ‘in/for Adhokṣaja (Viṣṇu)’

• आ-कल्प-अन्तात्: up to the end of the kalpa
• आ-कल्प-अन्तात्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण; time limit)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ (अव्यय) + कल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास: ‘आ’ (up to) + ‘कल्पान्त’ (end of an aeon); पञ्चमी (5th/ablative), एकवचन; adverbial ‘until the end of the kalpa’

• यशः: fame
• यशः: Karta (कर्ता; nominal predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यशस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन

• पुण्यम्: holy/meritorious
• पुण्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; qualifying ‘यशः’

• अजरा-अमरता: agelessness and immortality
• अजरा-अमरता: Karta (कर्ता; nominal predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अजरा (प्रातिपदिक) + अमरता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (copulative): ‘अजरा च अमरता च’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकार-अव्यय (adverb: ‘also/likewise’)

Characters & Entities

• Adhokṣaja (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the results of bhakti to Adhokshaja?

This verse says that devotion to Adhokṣaja fulfills one’s aims and grants purifying fame lasting until the end of the age, along with freedom from old age and death.

Why does Shukadeva Goswami address someone as “Maharshi” here?

In this section Śukadeva is praising a great sage’s devotional standing, emphasizing that the extraordinary results described come specifically from being a bhakta of the Lord.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Prioritize steady devotional practice (hearing, chanting, remembering the Lord) over temporary achievements; the Bhāgavatam frames lasting honor and ultimate fearlessness as fruits of sincere bhakti.