Shloka 9

Kapila’s Advent: Brahmā’s Confirmation, the Marriage of the Nine Daughters, and Kardama’s Renunciation

Devanagari script

तत्कर्दमाश्रमपदं सरस्वत्या परिश्रितम् । स्वयम्भू: साकमृषिभिर्मरीच्यादिभिरभ्ययात् ॥ ९ ॥

Transliteration

tat kardamāśrama-padaṁ sarasvatyā pariśritam svayambhūḥ sākam ṛṣibhir marīcy-ādibhir abhyayāt

Translation

Then Svayambhū Brahmā, accompanied by sages such as Marīci, went to Kardama’s hermitage, which was sheltered by the river Sarasvatī.

Synonyms

• तत्: that
• तत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण to पदम्

• कर्दम-आश्रम-पदम्: the place of Kardama’s hermitage
• कर्दम-आश्रम-पदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्दम (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative): कर्दमस्य आश्रमस्य पदम्

• सरस्वत्याः: by/with the Sarasvatī (river)
• सरस्वत्याः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), तृतीया (3rd case/instrumental), एकवचन (singular)

• परिश्रितम्: surrounded/attended
• परिश्रितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + श्रि (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन (singular); पदम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• स्वयम्भूः: Svayambhū (Brahmā)
• स्वयम्भूः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयम्भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular)

• साकम्: together with
• साकम्: Sahārtha (सहार्थ/association)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साकम् (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अर्थक-अव्यय (adverb/preposition: ‘together with’)

• ऋषिभिः: with sages
• ऋषिभिः: Sahakārī (सहकारी/associate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (3rd case/instrumental), बहुवचन (plural)

• मरीचि-आदिभिः: with Marīci and others
• मरीचि-आदिभिः: Sahakārī (सहकारी/associate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरीचि (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन (plural); तत्पुरुषः: मरीचिः आदिः येषां ते (marīci and others)

• अभ्ययात्: went/approached
• अभ्ययात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + या (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

Purport

Brahmā is called Svayambhū because he is not born of any material father and mother. He is the first living creature and is born from the lotus which grows from the abdomen of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Therefore he is called Svayambhū, self-born.

Characters & Entities

• Svayambhū (Brahmā)
• Kardama Muni
• Sarasvatī
• Marīci
• Ṛṣis (sages)

FAQs

Why did Brahmā go to Kardama Muni’s āśrama in Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 3?

This verse introduces Brahmā’s arrival at Kardama’s hermitage with great sages, indicating a divine purpose—bringing guidance and initiating key events in Kardama Muni’s life and mission.

Who is speaking this verse in the Bhagavata Purana?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī narrates this verse to Mahārāja Parīkṣit as part of the Third Canto’s teachings and history.

What is the practical lesson from Brahmā approaching a saintly hermitage?

Seekers can learn to honor saintly association and sacred environments—spiritual progress is nourished by guidance from realized teachers and by living (or visiting) places conducive to devotion and contemplation.