Shloka 3

Devanagari script

यद्यद्विधत्ते भगवान् स्वच्छन्दात्मात्ममायया । तानि मे श्रद्दधानस्य कीर्तन्यान्यनुकीर्तय ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

yad yad vidhatte bhagavān svacchandātmātma-māyayā tāni me śraddadhānasya kīrtanyāny anukīrtaya

Translation

Therefore, please describe precisely all the deeds and līlās of the Bhagavān, who acts in full freedom and accomplishes everything by His internal potency; for one of faith like me, they are worthy of kīrtana.

Synonyms

• यत्: whatever (that)
• यत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; यद्-यद् इति पुनरुक्ति (correlative: whatever)

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति

• विधत्ते: arranges/ordains
• विधत्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु) उपसर्ग-वि + धा
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• भगवान्: the Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वच्छन्द-आत्मा-आत्म-मायया: by His own māyā, whose nature is free-willed
• स्वच्छन्द-आत्मा-आत्म-मायया: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वच्छन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-समास; करण (instrument)

• तानि: those (deeds/things)
• तानि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘those (things)’

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन; ‘to me/for me’

• श्रद्दधानस्य: of (me) who is faithful
• श्रद्दधानस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रद् + धा (धातु) → श्रद्दधान (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (Present participle, शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘of me who am faithful’

• कीर्तन्यानि: worthy to be sung
• कीर्तन्यानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कीर्तनीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be sung/praiseworthy)

• अनुकीर्तय: please recount/chant after (tell in detail)
• अनुकीर्तय: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कीर्त् (धातु) उपसर्ग-अनु + कीर्त्
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Purport

The word anukīrtaya is very significant. Anukīrtaya means to follow the description — not to create a concocted mental description, but to follow. Śaunaka Ṛṣi requested Sūta Gosvāmī to describe what he had actually heard from his spiritual master, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, about the transcendental pastimes the Lord manifested by His internal energy. Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has no material body, but He can assume any kind of body by His supreme will. That is made possible by His internal energy.

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavan
• Devahuti

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Lord acting by His own will (svacchanda)?

This verse states that Bhagavan independently arranges everything through His own divine potency (ātma-māyā), and such deeds are worthy of faithful hearing and glorification.

Why did Devahuti say this to Lord Kapila in Canto 3 Chapter 25?

Devahuti, eager to learn bhakti-yoga, requests Kapila to narrate the Lord’s praiseworthy arrangements and activities, showing the attitude of śraddhā (faith) and kīrtana (glorification).

Practical application of kīrtana and śraddhā in modern life?

Cultivate daily hearing and chanting about the Lord’s qualities and acts with trustful attention—making spiritual learning not merely informational but an act of devotion.