Shloka 16

Devanagari script

अहंममाभिमानोत्थै: कामलोभादिभिर्मलै: । वीतं यदा मन: शुद्धमदु:खमसुखं समम् ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

ahaṁ mamābhimānotthaiḥ kāma-lobhādibhir malaiḥ vītaṁ yadā manaḥ śuddham aduḥkham asukhaṁ samam

Translation

When the mind is wholly cleansed of lust, greed, and other stains born of the false “I” and “mine,” it becomes purified and, in that purity, rises beyond material happiness and distress, resting in equanimity.

Synonyms

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), उत्तमपुरुषार्थक; एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative)

• मम: my / of me
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; एकवचन, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive)

• अभिमानोत्थैः: arisen from egoism
• अभिमानोत्थैः: Hetu/Karana (हेतु/करण—instrumental cause)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभिमान-उत्थ (प्रातिपदिक; अभिमान + उत्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग? (contextually instrumental plural agreeing with मलैः); तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अभिमानात् उत्थाः = arising from egoism)

• काम: desire
• काम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध—compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• लोभ: greed
• लोभ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध—compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• आदिभिः: and the like
• आदिभिः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध—qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘आदि’ = etc., beginning with

• मलैः: by impurities
• मलैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• वीतम्: freed / devoid
• वीतम्: Karma (कर्म—predicate complement of मनः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-इ (धातु) → वीत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृत् (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; मनः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• यदा: when
• यदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण—time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• मनः: the mind
• मनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• शुद्धम्: pure
• शुद्धम्: Karma (कर्म—predicate complement of मनः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; मनः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अदुःखम्: free from sorrow
• अदुःखम्: Karma (कर्म—predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्-समासः (negation)

• असुखम्: free from pleasure (i.e., beyond pleasure)
• असुखम्: Karma (कर्म—predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्-समासः

• समम्: equanimous
• समम्: Karma (कर्म—predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; मनः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Purport

Kāma and lobha are the symptoms of material existence. Everyone always desires to possess something. It is said here that desire and greed are the products of false identification of oneself with the body. When one becomes free from this contamination, then his mind and consciousness also become freed and attain their original state. Mind, consciousness and the living entity exist. Whenever we speak of the living entity, this includes the mind and consciousness. The difference between conditional life and liberated life occurs when we purify the mind and the consciousness. When they are purified, one becomes transcendental to material happiness and distress.

Characters & Entities

• Kapila
• Devahūti

FAQs

How does Srimad Bhagavatam describe a purified mind in Canto 3 Chapter 25?

It says the purified mind is free from impurities born of “I” and “mine” (false ego and possessiveness), and becomes equipoised—undisturbed by material happiness or distress.

Why does Lord Kapila teach Devahuti about lust, greed, and false ego?

Kapila instructs Devahūti on the inner obstacles that block spiritual realization; by removing ego-based contamination (kāma, lobha, etc.), one attains steadiness and clarity conducive to bhakti and liberation.

How can I apply this Bhagavatam verse in modern life?

Practice reducing “I” and “mine” thinking—simplify desires, watch greed-driven habits, and cultivate steady devotion and selfless service—so the mind becomes calmer and less reactive to praise/blame, gain/loss, and pleasure/pain.