Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 1

Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi Tested by Indra and Blessed by Nara-Nārāyaṇa

Devanagari script

श्रीशौनक उवाच सूत जीव चिरं साधो वद नो वदतां वर । तमस्यपारे भ्रमतां नृणां त्वं पारदर्शन: ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śaunaka uvāca sūta jīva ciraṁ sādho vada no vadatāṁ vara tamasy apāre bhramatāṁ nṝṇāṁ tvaṁ pāra-darśanaḥ

Translation

Śrī Śaunaka said: O Sūta, saintly one, may you live long. O best of speakers, please continue speaking to us. For men who wander on the far shore of darkness, you alone are the one who can show the way across.

Synonyms

• श्री-शौनकः: Śrī Śaunaka
• श्री-शौनकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + शौनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (honorific epithet + name)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सूत: O Sūta
• सूत: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th case/vocative), एकवचन

• जीव: live
• जीव: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• चिरम्: for a long time
• चिरम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (time adverb)

• साधो: O good one
• साधो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• वद: speak, tell
• वद: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नः: to us / for us
• नः: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (6th/4th case: genitive/dative), बहुवचन; एनक्लिटिक सर्वनाम

• वदताम्: of speakers
• वदताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वद् (धातु) → वदत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle) ‘वदत्’; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), बहुवचन

• वर: O best (one)
• वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• तमसि: in darkness
• तमसि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case/locative), एकवचन

• अपारे: endless, boundless
• अपारे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying tamasi)

• भ्रमताम्: of those who wander
• भ्रमताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु) → भ्रमत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle) ‘भ्रमत्’; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (genitive), बहुवचन

• नृणाम्: of men, of people
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (genitive), बहुवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पार-दर्शनः: one who sees the far shore (guide beyond)
• पार-दर्शनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (one who sees the far shore/other side)

Purport

According to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, the sages saw that Sūta Gosvāmī was about to end his narration of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and thus they urged him to first tell the story of Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi.

Characters & Entities

• Śaunaka
• Sūta Gosvāmī

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about crossing ignorance (tamas)?

This verse portrays conditioned souls as wandering in darkness and honors the realized speaker of Bhāgavatam as the guide who shows the way to the ‘other shore’—liberation through hearing transcendental wisdom.

Why did Śaunaka Ṛṣi speak this way to Sūta Gosvāmī?

In Naimiṣāraṇya, the sages rely on Sūta as the qualified narrator of Bhāgavatam; Śaunaka respectfully urges him to continue speaking for the benefit of those lost in ignorance.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

Seek authentic spiritual guidance and regularly hear/reflect on Bhāgavatam teachings to gain clarity, purpose, and freedom from confusion and destructive habits.