Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 12

Vibhūti-yoga in the Bhāgavata: The Lord’s Manifest Opulences and the Discipline of Control

Devanagari script

हिरण्यगर्भो वेदानां मन्त्राणां प्रणवस्‍त्रिवृत् । अक्षराणामकारोऽस्मि पदानिच्छन्दसामहम् ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

hiraṇyagarbho vedānāṁ mantrāṇāṁ praṇavas tri-vṛt akṣarāṇām a-kāro ’smi padāni cchandasām aham

Translation

Among the Vedas I am their original teacher, Hiraṇyagarbha (Lord Brahmā), and among mantras I am the three-syllabled praṇava, Oṁ. Among letters I am ‘a’, and among sacred meters I am the Gāyatrī.

Synonyms

• हिरण्यगर्भः: Hiraṇyagarbha
• हिरण्यगर्भः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्यगर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular; समास: हिरण्यस्य गर्भः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• वेदानाम्: of the Vedas
• वेदानाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; genitive plural

• मन्त्राणाम्: of the mantras
• मन्त्राणाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; genitive plural

• प्रणवः: the praṇava (Oṁ)
• प्रणवः: प्रधानेन विधेय (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular

• त्रिवृत्: threefold
• त्रिवृत्: प्रधानेन विधेय (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिवृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular; द्विगु-समास: त्रयः+वृत् (threefold)

• अक्षराणाम्: of the syllables/letters
• अक्षराणाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; genitive plural

• अकारः: the letter ‘a’
• अकारः: प्रधानेन विधेय (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular

• अस्मि: am
• अस्मि: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; ‘I am’

• पदानि: words/feet
• पदानि: प्रधानेन विधेय (Predicate nominative; ‘(I am) the words’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; nominative/accusative plural

• छन्दसाम्: of the Vedic meters
• छन्दसाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छन्दस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; genitive plural

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Uddhava
• Hiraṇyagarbha

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Om (praṇava) and its importance?

This verse identifies Krishna as the praṇava (Oṁ) itself—the essence and highest representative among mantras—indicating that sacred sound ultimately points to Bhagavan.

Why did Krishna describe Himself as the Vedas, mantras, letters, and meters to Uddhava?

In the Uddhava Gita, Krishna teaches His vibhutis (divine opulences) to help Uddhava perceive the Lord everywhere—especially in Vedic sound, which is a primary doorway to spiritual realization.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life—how can a devotee use it daily?

By remembering that sacred sound is Krishna’s presence: chant Oṁ or the Lord’s names with attention, study scripture with devotion, and treat speech as sacred by speaking truthfully and beneficially.