Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 36

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

Devanagari script

गत्युक्त्युत्सर्गोपादानमानन्दस्पर्शलक्षणम् । आस्वादश्रुत्यवघ्राणमहं सर्वेन्द्रियेन्द्रियम् ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

gaty-ukty-utsargopādānam ānanda-sparśa-lakṣanam āsvāda-śruty-avaghrāṇam ahaṁ sarvendriyendriyam

Translation

I am the functions of the five working senses—legs, speech, anus, hands, and genitals—as well as those of the five knowledge-acquiring senses—touch, sight, taste, hearing, and smell. I am also the potency by which each sense experiences its own object.

Synonyms

• गति: movement
• गति: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; abstract noun

• उक्ति: speech
• उक्ति: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; speech/utterance

• उत्सर्ग: excretion/release
• उत्सर्ग: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; discharge/release

• उपादानम्: taking/acceptance
• उपादानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपादान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; taking/accepting

• आनन्द: bliss
• आनन्द: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; joy

• स्पर्श: touch
• स्पर्श: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; touch

• लक्षणम्: characteristic
• लक्षणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; characteristic/mark

• आस्वाद: taste
• आस्वाद: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आस्वाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; tasting

• श्रुति: hearing
• श्रुति: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; hearing

• अवघ्राणम्: smell
• अवघ्राणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवघ्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; smelling

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• सर्वेन्द्रिय-इन्द्रियम्: the sense-organ of all senses (the mind)
• सर्वेन्द्रिय-इन्द्रियम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: सर्वेषाम् इन्द्रियाणाम् इन्द्रियम्

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Uddhava

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna being the controller of the senses?

This verse states that Krishna is the underlying presiding potency behind movement, speech, and all sensory functions—He is “sarvendriyendriya,” the sense-power of every sense.

Why did Krishna say this to Uddhava in the Uddhava Gita?

Krishna is teaching Uddhava His all-pervading opulence: that every bodily and sensory capacity ultimately depends on Him, helping Uddhava fix devotion beyond identification with the material senses.

Practical application of Krishna as “sarvendriyendriya” in modern life?

Offer your sensory activities—speech, hearing, taste, and touch—to Krishna (e.g., truthful speech, hearing kirtan, honoring prasadam), remembering that the senses function best when aligned with devotion.