Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 4

Bhāgavata-Māhātmya and the Complete Summary of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Devanagari script

अत्र ब्रह्म परं गुह्यं जगत: प्रभवाप्ययम् । ज्ञानं च तदुपाख्यानं प्रोक्तं विज्ञानसंयुतम् ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

atra brahma paraṁ guhyaṁ jagataḥ prabhavāpyayam jñānaṁ ca tad-upākhyānaṁ proktaṁ vijñāna-saṁyutam

Translation

Here is spoken the hidden mystery of the Supreme Brahman, the source of this universe’s creation and dissolution. Also taught are divine knowledge of Him, the means to cultivate it, and the transcendental realization thereby attained.

Synonyms

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• ब्रह्म: Brahman; the Absolute
• ब्रह्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (singular)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) to ब्रह्म

• गुह्यम्: secret, confidential
• गुह्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण to ब्रह्म

• जगतः: of the universe
• जगतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• प्रभव: origin
• प्रभव: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र-भू (धातु) + अप् (उपसर्ग/प्रत्यय-आधारित प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘origin/source’ (प्रभव)

• अप्ययम्: dissolution
• अप्ययम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘dissolution/withdrawal’ (अप्यय)

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun) used adjectivally

• उपाख्यानम्: narrative, account
• उपाख्यानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाख्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रोक्तम्: is declared
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु) (क्त-प्रत्यय, कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘said/declared’

• विज्ञान: realized knowledge
• विज्ञान: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि-ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (as first member in compound)

• संयुतम्: endowed/connected with
• संयुतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-युज् (धातु) (क्त-प्रत्यय, कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण to (तद्)उपाख्यानम्/प्रोक्तम्

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Brahman as a confidential truth?

This verse states that the Bhāgavatam reveals the Supreme Brahman as the most confidential reality (paraṁ guhyam), not merely as theory but as truth meant to be understood deeply.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī summarize creation and dissolution in Canto 12?

Because he is concluding the Bhāgavatam’s scope for Parīkṣit—showing that it includes cosmology (origin and dissolution of the world) alongside the highest spiritual conclusion.

Practical application of jñāna and vijñāna from this shloka in modern life?

Move beyond information to lived realization: study sacred teachings (jñāna) and apply them through devotion, reflection, and disciplined practice so knowledge becomes transformative (vijñāna).