Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 19

Nārada’s Arrival, the Nine Yogendras, and the Foundations of Bhāgavata-dharma

Devanagari script

तेषां नव नवद्वीपपतयोऽस्य समन्तत: । कर्मतन्त्रप्रणेतार एकाशीतिर्द्विजातय: ॥ १९ ॥

Transliteration

teṣāṁ nava nava-dvīpa- patayo ’sya samantataḥ karma-tantra-praṇetāra ekāśītir dvijātayaḥ

Translation

Nine of the remaining sons became rulers of the nine islands of Bhārata-varṣa and exercised full sovereignty. Eighty-one sons became twice-born brāhmaṇas and helped establish the Vedic path of ritual sacrifice, the karma-kāṇḍa.

Synonyms

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन (Plural); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• नव: nine
• नव: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या-विशेषण; प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (Plural) — ‘पतयः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• नवद्वीपपतयः: lords of the nine islands
• नवद्वीपपतयः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नव-द्वीप-पति (प्रातिपदिक; नव + द्वीप + पति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (द्वीपानां पतयः)

• अस्य: of this (one/that)
• अस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• समन्ततः: on all sides, all around
• समन्ततः: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/locative sense: ‘all around’)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• कर्मतन्त्रप्रणेतारः: promulgators of ritual systems
• कर्मतन्त्रप्रणेतारः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; apposition to ‘पतयः’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्म-तन्त्र-प्रणेता (प्रातिपदिक; कर्म + तन्त्र + प्रणेता)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः तत्पुरुषसमासः (कर्मतन्त्रस्य प्रणेतारः)

• एकाशीतिḥ: eighty-one
• एकाशीतिḥ: विशेष्य (Predicate/number statement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकाशीति (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); संख्या (numeral)

• द्विजातयः: twice-born (brāhmaṇas etc.)
• द्विजातयः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural)

Purport

The nine dvīpas, or islands, ruled by nine sons of Ṛṣabhadeva are the nine varṣas of Jambudvīpa, namely Bhārata, Kinnara, Hari, Kuru, Hiraṇmaya, Ramyaka, Ilāvṛta, Bhadrāśva and Ketumāla.

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Hari (the Supreme Lord)

FAQs

Who are the nine dvīpa-patis mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.19?

They are the rulers associated with the nine islands (dvīpas) who are described as surrounding the Supreme Lord; the verse highlights their honored presence in the Lord’s assembly.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī mention brāhmaṇas as karma-tantra-praṇetāraḥ in this verse?

To indicate that alongside rulers, there were also authoritative twice-born sages/brāhmaṇas who establish and teach the regulated Vedic paths of ritual duty, showing the social and spiritual order surrounding the Lord.

What is the practical takeaway of Bhagavatam 11.2.19 for modern life?

Respect authentic spiritual teachers and the discipline of dharma, while remembering that all social and religious systems find their true purpose when centered on the Supreme Lord.